Farewell to the Bearded Vulture King: The death of beloved Rei del Causse  - Vulture Conservation Foundation

Rei del Causse, a young bearded gypaete, one of the rarest vultures, had become emblematic of his journeys across Europe. The Cevennes National Park announces his death on Tuesday 6 May, and traces the history of the raptor.

The bearded vulture, which was spotted in Poznań last year and became the subject of a viral video circulating the web, is dead. The Poznań Zoo, which cared for the bird until it was returned to its natural habitat in France, reported the bird's death. Its story has moved many. Today, we bid it farewell with sadness - it was written on the Poznań Zoo website.

Farewell to the Bearded Vulture King: The death of beloved Rei del Causse  - Vulture Conservation Foundation

It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the death of Rei del Causse, a young and adventurous Bearded Vulture (Gypeatus Barbatus) whose remarkable life and travels across Europe inspired many. On 20 January 2025, Rei’s lifeless body was discovered in Lozère, France, following alerts from his GPS tag that had recorded an unusual period of inactivity. Despite the rapid response of conservation teams, the cause of his death remains a myster…

The animal, called Rei del Causse, was known by park agents to be an incredible traveller. The causes of his death remain a mystery.