Where do Gyps fulvus (Griffon Vultures) feed? Combining biologging with socio-economic analysis can guide sustainable ecotourism development

Ecotourism supports Old World vulture conservation and raises public
awareness of their ecological role. Traditional vulture-watching
activities are often based at hides near supplementary feeding stations,
where vultures predictably gather. However, identifying optimal locations
for sustainable vulture-watching ecotourism beyond these sites is
challenging considering that vultures travel extensive distances to locate
carrion.  We analyzed movement data from six Gyps fulvus (Griffon
Vultures) in northwest Sardinia, Italy, to identify areas where they
usually feed and where economically viable birdwatching activities could
be implemented. G. fulvus were equipped with GPS tags and tri-axial
accelerometer sensors. Using a random forest algorithm, we identified
feeding events from the acceleration data and fitted a Poisson process
model to predict feeding event density across the study area.
Additionally, we conducted structured questionnaires with 116 visitors to
protected area (August 2022 – October 2023) to assess their willingness to
pay for vulture-watching activities. From 2020 to 2024, we
recorded 1,563 feeding events, primarily in areas with scarce forest cover
and low slope, and adjacent to the main colony. Most respondents expressed
interest in visiting observation hides and guided tours, with an average
willingness to pay of €13–15. Based on these responses, we estimated
potential revenues of €415.51, €41,551.27, and €415,512.72, assuming
participation from 0.001%, 0.1%, and 1% of visitors from Germany, the
United Kingdom, and the United States, respectively. Additional income
from related tourism services could further increase these
revenues. Our findings represent the first attempt to combine
high-resolution biologging to map the foraging areas of an unpredictable
yet ecologically significant wildlife species with data from structured
consumer questionnaires. This approach allows for the assessment and
potential implementation of an ecotourism model that does not depend on
predictable supplementary feeding stations, offering ecological,
behavioral, and sanitary advantages.