South Africa is a country rich in diversity, especially its wildlife. One of the more remarkable yet, mostly ignored species in the country is our vultures.  Vultures serve an important part in the environment by being one of the species at the top of the food chain. In addition to clearing up dead carcasses, some reports even suggest that vultures play a role in decreasing the spread of diseases such as anthrax and possibly keeping rabies in check by minimising contact of the virus with mammalian predators.

Although vultures form this integral part of the environment, very few people find vultures appealing. This may have resulted from common association of these birds with the creatures of the afterlife, a misconception still perpetuated by the popular press, television and Hollywood cinematography.

The IUCN Red Data List classifies the Cape Vulture as vulnerable, with ongoing previously identified threats, such as poisonings, habitat change, agriculture practice, electrical pylon collisions and electrocutions contributing to this status.

The vulture programme approaches conservation in a multidisciplinary and networked fashion, with the benefit accruing to both vultures and society at large. This is achieved by combining the disciplines of education and fundamental science, with networking, capacity building and knowledge generation.

The veterinary disciplines of toxicology, pharmacology, clinical pathology and medicine are combined with the science of cell-phone telemetry, with the end goal being of significantly influencing the well-being of our natural resources. By focusing our efforts on these essential animal indicators, precariously positioned at the top of the food chain, we will not only influence but effect a positive change in the mind sets of people.

Cell-phone tracking devises are used for the first time to determine foraging and home ranges of a large number of vultures in Southern Africa. The output from such research allows for the monitoring capture-release of free-ranging vultures, the mapping of areas for further actions, such as community education and the safeguarding of vulture food through the monitoring of vulture restaurants.

The educational impact of vultures will be felt both locally, through educational talks and interaction with both tame and wild vultures, as well as regionally, through the follow-up of vulture home range and feeding studies, determining drug residues in carcasses and lobbying communities and society for appropriate measures and actions to the benefit of our natural environment.

This project is therefore a pro-active attempt to determine, evaluate and monitor veterinary drugs / chemical residues in carcasses that are made available to vultures, build dedicated laboratory models for predicting avian toxicity, use a mass awareness campaign in order to involve and get feed-back from public, determine the home ranges of vultures, so as to better understand their foraging habits and bank down appropriate biological samples for current and future project use.

With the many threats vultures are facing throughout southern Africa, vulture rehabilitation has become an essential part of the Vulture Programme.  Collecting grounded, injured, poisoned and disabled vultures around South Africa, special emphasis within the Gauteng, North West and Limpopo Provinces, we are able to save many vultures that would have met their untimely death.

By doing this, we are in a position to release those that are fit and healthy back to the wild and keep those that cannot be released, in captivity for educational and research purposes; providing a safe haven for these misunderstood birds.  At present, this is the only facility approved by Gauteng Nature Conservation and recognised by North West Nature Conservation for vulture rehabilitation.

Through partners, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, potentially harmful veterinary substances similar to diclofenac, can be identified, monitored and where necessary political lobbying initiated for its removal or responsible use.

This multidisciplinary and networking programme looks at conservation holistically, by focusing on the Vulture at the top of the food chain and gaining new knowledge on the environment below and so also impacting on society’s well-being.

More information about this project:

Kerri Wolter

Manager: Vulture Programme

Rhino & Lion Wildlife Conservation NPO

Mobile: +27-82-808-5113

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