“The fact that it is a scavenger, not a predator, means that we can engage with farmers and foresters and hunters without finding the entrenched opposition that you have when you deal with animals like lynx and bears, wolves and golden eagles.”

As the species bounces back, it finds plenty of food to eat – populations of ibex and chamois, which were once under threat, are now at healthy levels, particularly in the Alps where they are now routinely seen by hikers and climbers.

In Italy, one of the places where the bearded vulture soars again is the Stelvio National Park, a vast wilderness area in the Alps.

A ranger at the national park visitor centre in the village of Valfurva explains how the vulture gets its distinctive russet-coloured neck feathers.

“The birds are attracted to springs and streams with a high content of iron oxide. They wash themselves in the water and their feathers become dyed red by the mud,” he told The Telegraph on a recent visit.

The vultures are also thriving in Spain, where conservationists just celebrated a record breeding season – 10 chicks hatched at a breeding centre in Andalucia.