This species occupies remote, mountainous areas, with precipitous terrain, usually above 1,000 m and in particular, areas where large predators such as wolves and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are present, and there are herds of mammals such as Mountain Goats, Ibex, and sheep (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). The species is typically monogamous but polyandrous trios occur in the Pyrenees, probably in response to habitat saturation (Orta et al. 2020). Nesting occurs in December or January and the young hatch in February and March (Tucker and Heath 1994). The species will construct large nests (averaging 1 m diameter), composed of branches and lined with animal remains such as skin and wool, as well as dung and occasionally also rubbish. Nests are located on remote overhung cliff ledges or in caves and will be re-used over the years (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). Clutches are one or two eggs. Both parents take part in nest building, nest defence, incubation, brooding and feeding of chicks (Orta et al. 2020). The species will forage over vast distances, using a soaring flight. Its principle food is carrion, with its diet including a large proportion of bones (as much as 85%) whereupon the bird gets nutrition from the marrow inside. The rest of its diet comprises tortoises, and occasionally also live mammals and birds. It is generally unwilling to compete with vultures at carcasses, and will wait patiently to feed, scavenging older carcasses if fresh meat is scarce. Bones are either consumed whole, broken using the bill, hammered against the ground, or lifted into the air and dropped from 50-80 m high onto hard rock. Tortoises are generally treated in the same way as bones. It is resident where it occurs, but has vast home ranges, and juveniles will wander even more widely than adults (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001).

This species was once widespread in the Mediterranean region, but it has gone extinct across a large part of its range in the region (see BirdLife International 2021 and Garrido et al. 2021). It does persist in some areas of Spain, Morocco, France, Greece and Turkey, while reintroductions mean that it is also in the Italian part of the region too (see BirdLife International 2021).

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. EU Birds Directive Annex I. In Europe, captive breeding and reintroduction programmes have been carried out in the Austrian, French, Italian and Swiss Alps with individuals subsequently spreading into other parts of France (Frey and Walter 1989, Snow and Perrins 1998). Reintroduction programmes are underway in parts of Spain (J. A. Gil Gallus in litt. 2011). Feeding stations have been provided in the Pyrenees with resulting increases in numbers of the species, and the provision of similar stations across the species's range could improve its global population density (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). In Morocco, the species is included in the preparation of a strategy for conservation of Mediterranean birds of prey and in a national programe for monitoring populations (UICN and DEF 2020). In Morocco, besides data collection, various local actions of protection have already been conducted through a Spanish Cooperation, GEF Project, Fundacion Gypaetus, Fundacion Global Nature. These included; awareness raising of mountain communities, which proved to be more effective among people living from tourism; setting up a supplementary feeding station (now abandoned); and provision of a leaflet and a billboard (Cuzin et al. 2009). A workshop to develop an “Action Plan for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) in Morocco” was organised by the Direction of the Toubkal National Park at Imlil, High Atlas, on the 21^st and 22^th of October 2015.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct coordinated surveys to monitor the species' population trend. Assess the threat posed by diclofenac and other drugs used in livestock, as well as the impacts of climate change. Reduce disturbance in and around nesting areas. Mitigate against the impacts of wind turbines and powerlines. Combat the threat of persecution through laws and awareness-raising activities. Provide feeding stations throughout the species' range. Finally, coordinated surveys are required in order to monitor the species' population trend, as well as to produce a Population Viability Analysis, to investigate the specific impact of certain threats, and to come up with best practice guidelines for conservation actions.