Kanja

Kanja ( Egyptian Vulture ) - egyptian vulture - neophron percnopterus

 

It is the smallest of the four European vulture, with wingspan of 150-180 cm and weight 2.4 kg. It nests in small caves or holes in inaccessible rocks, eats leftovers from other predators and vultures and visited dumps near villages and larger landfills. It incubates one to three eggs but rarely raises two young. Its migrating is commonly in pairs, but sometimes hundreds of pairs could congregate in places like large landfills, where there is enough food for all of them. In the fall of 1993, at the time of the migration, there was a mass poisoning of 65 Kanji in the city landfill near Negotino, caused by the pest control done by the municipality of Negotino. Thus, the overall population of this important species in Macedonia was crippled. In 1991 there were about 120 pairs throughout Macedonia, and 10 pairs Kanja were in Demir Kapija. After the mass poisoning of the population of Kanja in Negotino, a constant and rapid decline on the number of the Kanja was noticed everywhere in Macedonia. In 2007 Macedonia has only 30 pairs, and in 2012 – only 22-25 pairs. In the recent few years in Demir Kapija one active pair existed. Unfortunatly in 2013 in an early stage of incubation feiled its bed/nest. This is due to the construction of the highway in a manner that is fully regardless to the nature. It is to be expected that there will be no pair of Kanja next year so this kind may disappear forever from Demir Kapija.