Circle of Life: How the Eastern Rhodopes became a model of a restored ecosystem

published on 1/30/25 1:13 PM

Photo: Veneta Nikolova

The Eastern Rhodopes are one of the few places in Europe where the balance of nature has been restored almost to the state it was in two centuries ago. Here, ecosystems function naturally. In other words, animals and plants coexist in harmony without significant human intervention. This is due not only to the favourable climate, but also to the long-term efforts of conservationists. They are actively working to close the loop of the food chain in the area by reintroducing extirpated species.

In the last 10 years alone, more than 1,000 fallow deer and over 150 red deer, 19 European bison and around 150 wild Konik horses, 143 pairs of Eurasian griffon vultures and a further 17 of the rare cinereous vulture have been released into the wild. The animals are now breeding successfully. The circle of life is complete and the ecosystem is once again in balance.

The first step in this direction was the reintroduction of the griffon vulture a few years ago, explains Andreana Trifonova, head of the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation, which is dedicated to nature restoration and conservation in the region.

Status Wild - Bulgarian-Dutch project tries to rewild Eastern Rhodopes

"For several years now, we have been running a programme to reintroduce the cinereous vulture, which was once native to the region, to complement the more numerous griffon vulture. The Rhodopes are also home to the Egyptian vulture. These birds are all carrion feeders and sit at the top of the food pyramid. Our main efforts are focused on restoring these species and increasing their populations, as they play a crucial role in natural processes and the food chain. In other words, they are a key factor in maintaining the region's biodiversity.

But perhaps one of the most exciting projects in the Eastern Rhodopes was the reintroduction of the konik horse more than a decade ago. "Many years ago they thrived all over Europe, but the konik is now regionally extinct. Polish colleagues managed to restore the breed using a preserved genome," Trifonova explains. Now these small but hardy ponies are adapting well in the Eastern Rhodopes.

Koniks are the modern descendants of the extinct tarpan horses.

An important factor in restoring the balance of nature in the area was the return of the bison ten years ago.

The population of European bison in Bulgaria is slowly recovering

It is the largest herbivore in Europe and its reintroduction is one of the greatest conservation successes in Europe," says Trifonova. - Its role is essential; it maintains open spaces and contributes to the mosaic landscape - the alternation of open areas with wooded zones, which in turn creates habitats for other species. Today, about 20 wild bison roam near the Studen Kladenets dam, and there are another five behind an adaptation fence in the Zhenda forestry, which will soon be released to continue their role in the ecosystem," Trifonova explains.

Conservationists are also working to restore populations of fallow deer and red deer. Gradually, all levels of the food chain are returning to the Eastern Rhodopes, including large carnivores such as wolves and nature's "cleaners" - the griffon, cinereous and Egyptian vultures.

It turns out that this is one of the few places in Europe where we can observe a closed food chain. In other words, nature has almost completely regained control of the cycle of life in the mountains. "For example, when a horse dies, its flesh is quickly digested by predators and scavengers, preventing the development of viruses and parasites without human intervention. The animal is thus recycled into the ecosystem naturally, without posing risks to other animals," Trifonova concludes.