100. Great bustard

The great bustard, Otis tarda, is a bird of the Otididae family. It is also found in Bulgaria, but since 1990 it has been observed only in winter. It is the largest animal that can fly. In the past, the great bustard was much more common in Bulgaria and probably inhabited most of the vast plain areas in the country. Examination of bone remains of the species from Pleistocene and Holocene shows that the great bustard was among the most valuable hunting birds as most of its remains are from the so-called kitchen waste from the ancient settlements. The research was completed by the paleoornitologist Prof. Zlatozar Boev in dozens of localities, both in Northern and Southern Bulgaria. The great bustard is an endangered species included in the Bulgarian Red Book. The Biological Experimental Base "Kalimok" makes attempts to reintroduce the species into our nature.