As soon as widespread all through Africa, vulture numbers have now plummeted with a number of populations declining by a staggering 95% over the previous couple of many years. It’s a tragic actuality that vultures throughout southern Africa are being killed, maimed or poisoned every day.
However on the outskirts of Hartbeespoort Dam within the North West province, there’s a lifeline. VulPro (Vulture Programme for the Conservation of Vulture Species in southern Africa) is a rehabilitation and breeding centre that rescues numerous vultures within the hopes of saving the inhabitants from extinction.
We chatted with founder and chief govt Kerri Wolter, also called “the vulture whisperer”.
‘I discovered myself trying down at a bundle of feathers and an ET-look-a-like hen that resembled a creature from the prehistoric age of dinosaurs. My coronary heart melted,’ says Kerri as she recounts one among her very first encounters with a vulture. She had labored for the Endangered Wildlife Belief (EWT) earlier than she launched Vulpro.
‘I lastly understood the magnificence and fragility of the species. My job, at that precise second, was as clear as daylight to me. This was my calling: I wanted to make individuals perceive the great thing about these birds, and of their significance in our world dominated by greed and destruction.’
The numerous threats to vultures
Vultures are unfortunate sufficient to face a plethora of threats, all of which contribute to their dwindling numbers.
‘There are a number of causes for the cataclysmic decline, with vultures dealing with a number of, largely anthropogenic, threats that fluctuate in accordance with species and habitats or areas,’ Kerri says.
One of many greatest threats to vultures in South Africa is collisions with electrical energy powerlines – each because of the bodily impression of a collision and thru electrocution – and with wind generators and even electrical fences.
‘Powerlines have at all times had a detrimental impact on South Africa’s birds, significantly raptors and most frequently vultures,’ Kerri says. ‘As a result of these birds fly large distances, they typically use powerline help buildings as short-term roosts that provide protected, elevated vantage factors to perch on. However previous powerline buildings, particularly, will not be “bird-friendly” and pose main dangers to giant birds.’
‘Sadly, electrocutions are practically at all times deadly, whereas powerline-related accidents largely render particular person birds maimed for all times, with no probability of being launched again into the wild due to the severity of their accidents corresponding to damaged wings and legs,’ Kerri continues. ‘However varied initiatives to scale back these dangers to the birds, together with marking powerlines with “bird-flight diverters” that enhance the visibility of the wires and scale back the danger of collisions, have been launched in locations with some success.’
One other main difficulty is the deliberate poisoning of vultures is the most important present conservation problem. ‘This sinister and cynical observe is utilized by poachers who wish to get rid of the birds in order that their unlawful actions – like rhino and elephant poaching – is not going to be betrayed to anti-poaching models by the presence of the all-seeing “eyes within the sky”: vultures wheeling overhead the poached carcasses,’ she continues.
Between simply July 2011 and 2014, no less than 10 such poisoning incidents had been recorded, ensuing within the deaths of no less than 1 500 vultures throughout southern Africa.
One of many worst in recent times occurred in 2019 when conservationists found the stays of 537 vultures – this included white-backed vultures, white-headed vultures, hooded vultures, lappet-faced vultures and Cape vultures – and two tawny eagles in northern Botswana. The birds apparently died after feeding on the carcasses of three elephants poisoned by ivory poachers.
An equally disastrous mass killing occurred in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip a couple of years earlier, in 2013, when some 500 birds, a lot of them vultures, had been discovered lifeless after feeding on a poisoned elephant carcass. The earlier yr, additionally in Caprivi, some 300 vultures had died in an identical incident.
And poachers who dole out poison present no indicators of slowing down. In accordance with the African Wildlife Poison Database, no less than 16 130 vultures had been poisoned in Africa between 1961 and November 2019, of which 2 231 had been in South Africa.
‘One other main reason behind vulture mortality is the usage of vulture physique components in conventional African drugs, a few of that are based mostly on a perception within the so-called “supernatural powers” of those birds,’ says. Kerri. ‘Specifically, the birds’ super-keen eyesight that enables them to detect carcasses from so far as 4 kilometres, has given rise to a perception that they’ll “see into the long run”, and that utilizing their physique components as muthi (drugs) endows the consumer with psychic powers of clairvoyance.’
‘Such superstitious beliefs have created a requirement for, significantly, vulture heads (brains, beaks and eyes), whereas different reported makes use of of physique components to incorporate bones in circumcision ceremonies; talons for the therapy of fever; and feathers for adornment.’
BirdLife Worldwide reported the findings of a scientific paper by researchers who had decided that 29% of all vulture deaths recorded continent-wide might be attributed to this muthi commerce.
Different insidious threats to vulture populations embrace habitat loss by means of land-use adjustments – for instance, reworking pure areas into farmland or human settlements – and human disturbance by means of a wide range of developments and behaviours that lead to constantly shrinking foraging ranges and a lower in meals sources.
Breeding to replenish the inhabitants
Vulpro, positioned in Rietfontein, is the biggest centre of its type in Africa and has been designed with giant purpose-built enclosures that home greater than 273 non-releasable vultures. Birds are housed right here in giant teams with the chance to work together and behave as naturally as attainable, giving them an nearly regular life, regardless of their disabilities.
And on the coronary heart of regular behaviour is, after all, breeding.
Inhabitants supplementation is recognised as an more and more necessary conservation device to stop vulture extinctions, Kerri explains. This enables non-releasable vultures to contribute positively to saving their wild counterparts by producing viable offspring which can be launched into the wild to strengthen dwindling pure populations Up to now, greater than 80 captive-bred vultures from non-releasable mother and father have been launched into the wild.
The centre now boasts world-class incubation services with a capability of as much as 50 eggs a yr.
Vulpro’s story
After two years of managing the Vulture Examine Group on the EWT and discovering herself confronting the persevering with catastrophic decline of vultures, Kerri determined that she may finest use her vitality and keenness in a devoted organisation centered completely on saving these birds.
And so, Vulpro was duly hatched on New Yr’s Day in 2007.
The organisation’s preliminary emphasis was on the Cape vulture, however in subsequent years its focus broadened in order that it now contains all African vulture species and encompasses each in situ and ex situ conservation methods. Its mandate as an organisation is to rescue, rehabilitate, launch, analysis, protect and preserve vultures, and it has grow to be world-renowned for its ground-breaking conservation work.
After residing and dealing with vultures for shut to twenty years and having the ability to observe the species at shut vary, Kerri has acquired invaluable insights into the birds’ on a regular basis lives. And lots of unforgettable experiences – together with flying alongside them in a tandem paraglider – have regularly strengthened her ardour and dedication to assist safeguard their future, she says.
‘To have joined them within the air and to have watched their magnificence whereas flying so near them has been one of the crucial life-changing occasions I’ve ever skilled.’
‘Different defining moments for me have been sitting on breeding ledges observing whereas mother and father feed their chicks, after I felt I turned one among them for a couple of hours. Vultures are a few of the most tender, loving mother and father one can think about. Regardless of their huge measurement, giant and highly effective beaks, and chicken-like dinosaur ft, they’re meticulous in caring for his or her younger.
‘They transfer round their completely assembled nests with nice care in order to keep away from standing on their eggs or injuring their chicks – no small feat contemplating the restricted house on a breeding ledge or nesting tree! Each mother and father share in your complete breeding course of from nest constructing, by means of incubation, to elevating the chick. They’re devoted mother and father and are dedicated to defending and nurturing their younger till it fledges and leaves the nest. ‘
Vulpro is a non-profit organisation. For those who’re considering contributing to their work, see how you are able to do so right here: www.vulpro.com/how-can-you-help/.
Right here’s what to do you probably have discovered a vulture in want of assist.
To get in contact, cellphone +27 82 808 5113 or electronic mail [email protected] You too can comply with them on Fb.
Footage: Equipped