The main mountain ranges of the peninsula housed populations of bearded vultures at the start of the 20th century. It was extinct in the Cantabrian mountain range and the Iberian System in the mid-20th century. And in Andalusia in the year 1986 the last specimen disappeared from the Sierra de Carola and Segura. Its presence was relegated to the Pyrenees. At the end of the 80s the Pyrenean population was estimated in 29 territories. Between 1985 and 1986 the first census of the whole southern Pyrenean slope was carried out, estimating about 40 territories. Currently the Spanish Pyrenean population is comprised of around 125 occupied territories (2004) with an estimated pre-adult population of 156-162 specimens distributed in an area of 21,000 km2. Over the last decade the pre-adult population has grown by 7% each year, and this is considered to be the main driving force behind the current growth of the adult population (5% annual growth in territorial population). Parallel to this, the observations of bearded vultures has increased over the last few years in other mountainous systems of the Iberian Peninsula.

   Recently the Basque-Navarre mountain ranges to the west of the Pyrenees have been recolonised and three territories can be distinguished. Over the last few years bearded vultures have been observed in dispersion in the Cantabrian Mountain range, above all in the National Park of the Peaks of Europe and its surrounding area. On the French slope of the Pyrenees from four to five couples were estimated on the western part in 1965 and currently 22 territories are known of, which have been established over the last decade, from west to east. Recently the distribution area in France has reached the Eastern Pyrenees. This same recolonisation process has also occurred in Catalonia starting in the Central Pyrenees. In 1988 a Plan of Action began in the Communities of Navarre, Aragon and Catalonia. The recovery plans were approved in these communities between 1991 and 1994. A supplementary feeding programme began to operate in 1986 and is also carried out on the French side.

   The feeding point network mainly provides sheep limbs during the winter months. This activity has helped increase the juvenile survival rate a good deal on ensuring food during the most critical months of the year and it provides safe poison-free food for the birds when they settle in protected spaces.