As early as 1922 the Siwss ornithologist C. Stemmler proposed the reintroduction of the Bearded Vulture into the Alps. But only years later, in the first half of the seventies, scientists from France, Switzerland and Italy made a reintroduction effort in Haute-Savoie by releasing birds caught in Asia. This experiment failed. From 1973 onwards Bearded Vultures had been regulary bred at the Alpenzoo Innsbruck (A). Inspired by this breeding success in the middle of the seventies onwards W. Walter's (WWF Austria) iniciated information of a group of scientists from all alpine countries. With the aid of the Frankfurt Zoological Society, WWF and IUCN this group founded in 1978 at Morges (CH) the "International Project for the Reintroduction of the Beared Vulture into the Alps". Only captive bred young would be used for release in order to preserve the endangered populations in the wild. Since 1992, the international project has been led by the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture, established by the founders of the project.