Threats to Vultures & Vulture Conservation
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Lisbeth
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Re: Threats to Vultures
Exactly
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Re: Threats to Vultures
However, the poaching does not stop, another incident from uMkhuze
http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/G ... n-20160329
#ShockWildlifeTruths: Vultures on downward spiral to extinction
2016-03-29 16:30 - Scott Ramsay
The bushveld of Mkhuze Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal is one of South Africa’s last strongholds of wild nature. I had joined a small group of biologists on a field trip, spending several days walking through a remote valley.
Early one morning we encountered a horror scene.
We found several dead white-backed vultures hanging upside down from the branches of some thorn trees. The birds’ intestines had been ripped out, left to rot on the ground. Blood was splattered everywhere. Their feet and heads had been chopped off, and were also dangling from the branches. Despite the humidity and heat, goosebumps quickly covered my body.
The blood was still fresh and the bodies of the vultures were still warm. But it wasn’t just the sight and smell of the dead birds that shocked me. The ground was covered in human footprints. We were being watched, and the poachers were still nearby.
Fortunately, a potential shoot-out with poachers was avoided as the experienced team leader quickly guided us away from the site.
We returned later with anti-poaching rangers, and the vultures’ bodies and heads had been removed. But the birds’ feet remained. The poachers had been watching us, and while we’d gone looking for help, they had taken what they could and ran.
Like elephants, rhinos and lions, vultures in Africa are in dire straits. And while the charismatic species get all the attention, vultures are largely ignored.
In February this year, more than 110 white-backed vultures were poisoned by poachers in Kruger National Park. In October 2015, 46 were poisoned.
“Consider that there are only 3 000 white-backed vultures in Kruger, and only 7 500 in the whole country” said Andre Botha, manager of Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Bird of Prey program, and the co-chair of the IUCN Vulture Specialist Group.
“The Lowveld of South Africa, including Kruger, is the last place vultures survive in any great numbers in the country. There are far fewer of these vultures than rhinos in Kruger, and if the killing continues at the current rate, they will all be gone by 2034.”
There are eleven vulture species in Africa, and all of them are on a downward spiral to extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature upgraded four of these species to critically endangered in October 2015.
“This means that the white-backed vulture, the hooded vulture, the white-headed vulture and the Ruppel’s vulture are all in imminent danger of disappearing forever.”
Across South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, other vulture species are on the way out too. Cape vultures – found only in the region – number about 8 000, lappet-faced vultures about 250, hooded vultures about 200 and white-headed vultures about 160.
“These are cataclysmic figures,” said Botha, who has studied, researched and conserved Southern Africa’s vultures for several years.
“Think about it – there are at most 160 individual white-headed vultures left in the country. It’s tragic, because we know what’s happening, yet most people don’t seem to care about vultures like they do about rhinos or lions.”
Across the rest of Africa, things are no better for these ultimate cruisers of the sky.
Some species of vultures have declined by 70% in the last 30 years. Since the 1980s, 98% of all vultures outside of protected areas in West Africa have disappeared.
In July 2013, more than 600 vultures were found dead at a poisoned elephant carcass in Bwabwata National Park in north-east Namibia.
The steep increase in elephant poaching across Africa has meant bad news for vultures, which can find a carcass within minutes, and will congregate in the sky above the carcass in great numbers.
“Anti-poaching rangers can often be guided to the site of a carcass by the circling of vultures in the sky above” explained Botha. “So as soon as poachers kill an elephant, they will lace the carcass with poison. Within minutes of eating the flesh, the vultures will be dead. This gives poachers enough time to hack off the tusks, which can take up to three hours.”
The widespread use of traditional medicine in Africa also is bad news for vultures. According to some studies, up to four out of five Africans use so-called “muti” to cure ailments, or for other reasons: in the case of vultures, body parts are bought and consumed from traditional healers to improve gambling success and to help see into the future.
“Because vultures are known to have excellent eyesight, and can see long distances, people think they will get some of that power if they eat part of the body.”
Farmers will also set poisoned carcasses to kill predators like leopard, jackal and caracal, but inadvertently wipe out large numbers of vultures in one go. In South Africa, the agricultural pesticide Temik was once used extensively, but was banned in 2014. Now Carbofuran – banned in Kenya, yet widely available elswhere – is now the poacher’s poison of choice in many parts of Africa.
“Poachers are people who have no moral scruples, and will do anything to earn money,” said Botha. “We live in a largely lawless society, and police forces generally don’t consider dead birds as a priority. So unless we change attitudes among consumers, and unless we reduce the demand for vultures quickly, then things won’t get better.”
And while rhinos and lions are iconic species of Africa, vultures are overlooked. Yet they are arguably more important from an ecological and human perspective.
Vultures are the most efficient consumers of dead, rotting flesh in Africa. Up to 70% of carcasses are consumed not by lions, leopards or jackals, but by vultures. The birds’ stomach bacteria can digest rotting meat that would easily kill a human.
These massive birds provide a free service to human society, especially in rural areas, where other scavengers like dogs, rats and jackals tend to stick around and spread disease. On a continent where medical and municipal services are largely lacking, vultures are invaluable.
And the poisoning of carcasses could also end up killing people who consume vulture body parts.
“Traditional healers need to realize that if someone eats a poisoned vulture, that person could easily die,” said Botha. “And they could be liable for homicide.”
Besides their value to Africa’s human society, these birds are some of the most impressive wildlife on the continent. They fly higher than any other bird – a Ruppel’s vulture was hit by an aeroplane at over 11 000 metres, a height where all other birds would have died from lack of oxygen. And they can fly immense distances, covering more than 1 000 kilometres in one flight.
http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/G ... n-20160329
#ShockWildlifeTruths: Vultures on downward spiral to extinction
2016-03-29 16:30 - Scott Ramsay
The bushveld of Mkhuze Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal is one of South Africa’s last strongholds of wild nature. I had joined a small group of biologists on a field trip, spending several days walking through a remote valley.
Early one morning we encountered a horror scene.
We found several dead white-backed vultures hanging upside down from the branches of some thorn trees. The birds’ intestines had been ripped out, left to rot on the ground. Blood was splattered everywhere. Their feet and heads had been chopped off, and were also dangling from the branches. Despite the humidity and heat, goosebumps quickly covered my body.
The blood was still fresh and the bodies of the vultures were still warm. But it wasn’t just the sight and smell of the dead birds that shocked me. The ground was covered in human footprints. We were being watched, and the poachers were still nearby.
Fortunately, a potential shoot-out with poachers was avoided as the experienced team leader quickly guided us away from the site.
We returned later with anti-poaching rangers, and the vultures’ bodies and heads had been removed. But the birds’ feet remained. The poachers had been watching us, and while we’d gone looking for help, they had taken what they could and ran.
Like elephants, rhinos and lions, vultures in Africa are in dire straits. And while the charismatic species get all the attention, vultures are largely ignored.
In February this year, more than 110 white-backed vultures were poisoned by poachers in Kruger National Park. In October 2015, 46 were poisoned.
“Consider that there are only 3 000 white-backed vultures in Kruger, and only 7 500 in the whole country” said Andre Botha, manager of Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Bird of Prey program, and the co-chair of the IUCN Vulture Specialist Group.
“The Lowveld of South Africa, including Kruger, is the last place vultures survive in any great numbers in the country. There are far fewer of these vultures than rhinos in Kruger, and if the killing continues at the current rate, they will all be gone by 2034.”
There are eleven vulture species in Africa, and all of them are on a downward spiral to extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature upgraded four of these species to critically endangered in October 2015.
“This means that the white-backed vulture, the hooded vulture, the white-headed vulture and the Ruppel’s vulture are all in imminent danger of disappearing forever.”
Across South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, other vulture species are on the way out too. Cape vultures – found only in the region – number about 8 000, lappet-faced vultures about 250, hooded vultures about 200 and white-headed vultures about 160.
“These are cataclysmic figures,” said Botha, who has studied, researched and conserved Southern Africa’s vultures for several years.
“Think about it – there are at most 160 individual white-headed vultures left in the country. It’s tragic, because we know what’s happening, yet most people don’t seem to care about vultures like they do about rhinos or lions.”
Across the rest of Africa, things are no better for these ultimate cruisers of the sky.
Some species of vultures have declined by 70% in the last 30 years. Since the 1980s, 98% of all vultures outside of protected areas in West Africa have disappeared.
In July 2013, more than 600 vultures were found dead at a poisoned elephant carcass in Bwabwata National Park in north-east Namibia.
The steep increase in elephant poaching across Africa has meant bad news for vultures, which can find a carcass within minutes, and will congregate in the sky above the carcass in great numbers.
“Anti-poaching rangers can often be guided to the site of a carcass by the circling of vultures in the sky above” explained Botha. “So as soon as poachers kill an elephant, they will lace the carcass with poison. Within minutes of eating the flesh, the vultures will be dead. This gives poachers enough time to hack off the tusks, which can take up to three hours.”
The widespread use of traditional medicine in Africa also is bad news for vultures. According to some studies, up to four out of five Africans use so-called “muti” to cure ailments, or for other reasons: in the case of vultures, body parts are bought and consumed from traditional healers to improve gambling success and to help see into the future.
“Because vultures are known to have excellent eyesight, and can see long distances, people think they will get some of that power if they eat part of the body.”
Farmers will also set poisoned carcasses to kill predators like leopard, jackal and caracal, but inadvertently wipe out large numbers of vultures in one go. In South Africa, the agricultural pesticide Temik was once used extensively, but was banned in 2014. Now Carbofuran – banned in Kenya, yet widely available elswhere – is now the poacher’s poison of choice in many parts of Africa.
“Poachers are people who have no moral scruples, and will do anything to earn money,” said Botha. “We live in a largely lawless society, and police forces generally don’t consider dead birds as a priority. So unless we change attitudes among consumers, and unless we reduce the demand for vultures quickly, then things won’t get better.”
And while rhinos and lions are iconic species of Africa, vultures are overlooked. Yet they are arguably more important from an ecological and human perspective.
Vultures are the most efficient consumers of dead, rotting flesh in Africa. Up to 70% of carcasses are consumed not by lions, leopards or jackals, but by vultures. The birds’ stomach bacteria can digest rotting meat that would easily kill a human.
These massive birds provide a free service to human society, especially in rural areas, where other scavengers like dogs, rats and jackals tend to stick around and spread disease. On a continent where medical and municipal services are largely lacking, vultures are invaluable.
And the poisoning of carcasses could also end up killing people who consume vulture body parts.
“Traditional healers need to realize that if someone eats a poisoned vulture, that person could easily die,” said Botha. “And they could be liable for homicide.”
Besides their value to Africa’s human society, these birds are some of the most impressive wildlife on the continent. They fly higher than any other bird – a Ruppel’s vulture was hit by an aeroplane at over 11 000 metres, a height where all other birds would have died from lack of oxygen. And they can fly immense distances, covering more than 1 000 kilometres in one flight.
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Lisbeth
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Re: Threats to Vultures
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
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Richprins
- Committee Member
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Re: Threats to Vultures
“Traditional healers need to realize that if someone eats a poisoned vulture, that person could easily die,” said Botha. “And they could be liable for homicide.”
Indeed!
Indeed!
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
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Lisbeth
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Re: Threats to Vultures
I hope that somebody is telling themRichprins wrote:“Traditional healers need to realize that if someone eats a poisoned vulture, that person could easily die,” said Botha. “And they could be liable for homicide.”
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Re: Threats to Vultures
https://endangeredwildlifetrust.wordpre ... th-africa/
Addressing the problem of vulture electrocutions in South Africa
Since early 2016, the Eskom/Endangered Wildlife Trust strategic partnership has seen an increase in the number of powerline mortalities being reported by members of the public. This escalation in reporting gives rise to a growing concern over the number of vultures being electrocuted on electrical infrastructure across southern Africa. Vultures are especially vulnerable to powerline electrocution due to their large wingspans, heavy bodies and gregarious nature. When combined with contributing factors like treeless environments that force birds to sit on electricity poles, wet feathers which increase conductivity, sunning behaviour, artificially supplied food sources (such as vulture restaurants) and a concentration of carcasses often located in close proximity to power lines, vultures are the birds that are at highest risk from powerline electrocutions.
Recently a number of vulture incidents have been reported in the southern Free State. The latest incident was reported by a farmer between Aliwal North and Reddersburg. He discovered a number of vultures lying under the powerlines on his farm, and notified the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) who immediately sent out field worker, Ronelle Visagie, to investigate the incident. Amongst the mortalities, Ronelle also found an injured bird which was transported overnight by the Eskom/EWT partnership field workers to the VulPro vulture rehabilitation centre near Hartbeespoort Dam, North-West Province.
“Most powerlines built before the 1990s were not subject to environmental impact assessments and the structures were not designed to be bird friendly. This means that we are sitting with thousands of kilometres of power lines across South Africa which are extremely dangerous to birds. Eskom’s biggest challenge is to ensure that these old designs are phased out as soon as possible and that all new power lines being erected are bird friendly” said Constant Hoogstad – Manager of the EWT’s Wildlife and Energy Programme.
Eskom takes the electrocution of birds on powerlines extremely seriously and over the past few days Eskom has already started to mitigate powerlines in the area that have been identified as areas of concern, and has arranged emergency mitigation measures to address these particularly troublesome powerlines. During the last financial year Eskom changed more than 1,215 poles to bird friendly, insulated 63 transformers/strain poles, fitted 724 spans with bird flight diverters which amounted to more than 12,108 units.
While progress has been made in the past to reduce bird electrocutions, the increasing number of reported incidents signals a need for a step change. Eskom has identified high risk areas through the use of bird sensitivity maps developed by the EWT and Eskom Research to better inform Eskom where to proactively mitigate powerlines. Eskom is strategically committed to both proactively and reactively deal with bird interactions on powerlines. Eskom and the EWT will be engaging closely with other interested and affected stakeholders to ensure that the issue of bird electrocutions is addressed appropriately.
To continue to assist in decreasing the number of bird mortalities on powerline infrastructure, the EWT would like to encourage members of the public to report any wildlife and powerlines incidents to wep@ewt.org.za , 011-372-3600 or 0860-111-535.
Please visit http://www.ewt.org.za or contact Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager Constant Hoogstad (constanth@ewt.org.za) for more information about the EWT-Eskom Partnership and the Wildlife and Energy Programme.
End
Contact:
Constant Hoogstad
Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager
Endangered Wildlife Trust
Tel: +27 11 371 3600
Cell: + 27 82 334 4176
constanth@ewt.org.za
Addressing the problem of vulture electrocutions in South Africa
Since early 2016, the Eskom/Endangered Wildlife Trust strategic partnership has seen an increase in the number of powerline mortalities being reported by members of the public. This escalation in reporting gives rise to a growing concern over the number of vultures being electrocuted on electrical infrastructure across southern Africa. Vultures are especially vulnerable to powerline electrocution due to their large wingspans, heavy bodies and gregarious nature. When combined with contributing factors like treeless environments that force birds to sit on electricity poles, wet feathers which increase conductivity, sunning behaviour, artificially supplied food sources (such as vulture restaurants) and a concentration of carcasses often located in close proximity to power lines, vultures are the birds that are at highest risk from powerline electrocutions.
Recently a number of vulture incidents have been reported in the southern Free State. The latest incident was reported by a farmer between Aliwal North and Reddersburg. He discovered a number of vultures lying under the powerlines on his farm, and notified the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) who immediately sent out field worker, Ronelle Visagie, to investigate the incident. Amongst the mortalities, Ronelle also found an injured bird which was transported overnight by the Eskom/EWT partnership field workers to the VulPro vulture rehabilitation centre near Hartbeespoort Dam, North-West Province.
“Most powerlines built before the 1990s were not subject to environmental impact assessments and the structures were not designed to be bird friendly. This means that we are sitting with thousands of kilometres of power lines across South Africa which are extremely dangerous to birds. Eskom’s biggest challenge is to ensure that these old designs are phased out as soon as possible and that all new power lines being erected are bird friendly” said Constant Hoogstad – Manager of the EWT’s Wildlife and Energy Programme.
Eskom takes the electrocution of birds on powerlines extremely seriously and over the past few days Eskom has already started to mitigate powerlines in the area that have been identified as areas of concern, and has arranged emergency mitigation measures to address these particularly troublesome powerlines. During the last financial year Eskom changed more than 1,215 poles to bird friendly, insulated 63 transformers/strain poles, fitted 724 spans with bird flight diverters which amounted to more than 12,108 units.
While progress has been made in the past to reduce bird electrocutions, the increasing number of reported incidents signals a need for a step change. Eskom has identified high risk areas through the use of bird sensitivity maps developed by the EWT and Eskom Research to better inform Eskom where to proactively mitigate powerlines. Eskom is strategically committed to both proactively and reactively deal with bird interactions on powerlines. Eskom and the EWT will be engaging closely with other interested and affected stakeholders to ensure that the issue of bird electrocutions is addressed appropriately.
To continue to assist in decreasing the number of bird mortalities on powerline infrastructure, the EWT would like to encourage members of the public to report any wildlife and powerlines incidents to wep@ewt.org.za , 011-372-3600 or 0860-111-535.
Please visit http://www.ewt.org.za or contact Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager Constant Hoogstad (constanth@ewt.org.za) for more information about the EWT-Eskom Partnership and the Wildlife and Energy Programme.
End
Contact:
Constant Hoogstad
Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager
Endangered Wildlife Trust
Tel: +27 11 371 3600
Cell: + 27 82 334 4176
constanth@ewt.org.za
-
Lisbeth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 65814
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
- Country: Switzerland
- Location: Lugano
- Contact:
SA experts save 9 endangered vultures
SA experts save 9 endangered vultures
2016-10-12 08:13
It's been a bad week for vultures in this part of Africa but here's one story worth celebrating: nine vultures found poisoned in Zimbabwe have been saved, thanks in part to the dedication of a South African vulture expert.
Vanessa Bristow of Sentinel Ranch in the south of Zimbabwe has posted her account of the nerve-wracking race against time to save a group of poisoned vultures found by game scouts on the ranch on Sunday.
Nine of them were saved in an astonishing rescue mission that will hearten conservationists saddened by the just-reported deaths of 51 vultures (and lions, nyala, warthogs and fish eagles among other animals) in the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
Vultures are more endangered in Africa than rhinos - but often receive considerably less attention
Writing on Facebook on Tuesday, Bristow says Kerri Wolter of VulPro and Pieter Saunders of Magaliesburg Raptor Research drove through the night to reach the ranch after Bristow contacted Wolter with news of the crisis.
"By the time they arrived, after 1am, two more vultures had died (the body of one Cape vulture was retrieved along with the 11 sick birds). We were racing against the clock," Bristow wrote in a post that has been shared by VulPro.
The sickest birds were immediately treated with activated charcoal and rehydrates.
Bristow says Wolter insisted on getting up after just two hours sleep to treat the other birds.
Happily the nine birds -- one Lappet-faced vulture, two Cape vultures and six white-backed vultures -- all survived and were released on Monday morning. All three vultures are on the IUCN's "Red List" of threatened species.
Paying tribute to head game scout Fewture Hoko for the first aid he gave to the birds in the bush, Bristow said on her FB page that the poison was an organophosphate (which can mean it was an insecticide or a pesticide).
It's not clear exactly what the motive of the poisoning was. Sometimes cattle farmers lace a carcass with poison to trap a predator like a hyena -- and inadvertently kill a host of vultures too. Poachers also may lace animal carcasses to deliberately kill vultures so that the sight of these majestic birds circling overhead will not give away the poachers.
Vultures are also valued for their body parts in traditional medicine and may be deliberately killed for this illegal trade.
In January, 41 white-backed vultures were found dead -- from poisoning -- on the Zimbabwe side of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation area.
Wildlife lovers have been paying tribute to all those involved in the vulture rescue story on Facebook.
Posted Duncan Butchart: "Such enormous respect for Kerri Wolter and her team... just so tireless and committed in the face of this ongoing poisoning (and electrocution) horror. Well done to you Vanessa Bristow and your team for playing such a vital role in this incident."
(There are two videos on the page in the heading)
2016-10-12 08:13
It's been a bad week for vultures in this part of Africa but here's one story worth celebrating: nine vultures found poisoned in Zimbabwe have been saved, thanks in part to the dedication of a South African vulture expert.
Vanessa Bristow of Sentinel Ranch in the south of Zimbabwe has posted her account of the nerve-wracking race against time to save a group of poisoned vultures found by game scouts on the ranch on Sunday.
Nine of them were saved in an astonishing rescue mission that will hearten conservationists saddened by the just-reported deaths of 51 vultures (and lions, nyala, warthogs and fish eagles among other animals) in the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
Vultures are more endangered in Africa than rhinos - but often receive considerably less attention
Writing on Facebook on Tuesday, Bristow says Kerri Wolter of VulPro and Pieter Saunders of Magaliesburg Raptor Research drove through the night to reach the ranch after Bristow contacted Wolter with news of the crisis.
"By the time they arrived, after 1am, two more vultures had died (the body of one Cape vulture was retrieved along with the 11 sick birds). We were racing against the clock," Bristow wrote in a post that has been shared by VulPro.
The sickest birds were immediately treated with activated charcoal and rehydrates.
Bristow says Wolter insisted on getting up after just two hours sleep to treat the other birds.
Happily the nine birds -- one Lappet-faced vulture, two Cape vultures and six white-backed vultures -- all survived and were released on Monday morning. All three vultures are on the IUCN's "Red List" of threatened species.
Paying tribute to head game scout Fewture Hoko for the first aid he gave to the birds in the bush, Bristow said on her FB page that the poison was an organophosphate (which can mean it was an insecticide or a pesticide).
It's not clear exactly what the motive of the poisoning was. Sometimes cattle farmers lace a carcass with poison to trap a predator like a hyena -- and inadvertently kill a host of vultures too. Poachers also may lace animal carcasses to deliberately kill vultures so that the sight of these majestic birds circling overhead will not give away the poachers.
Vultures are also valued for their body parts in traditional medicine and may be deliberately killed for this illegal trade.
In January, 41 white-backed vultures were found dead -- from poisoning -- on the Zimbabwe side of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation area.
Wildlife lovers have been paying tribute to all those involved in the vulture rescue story on Facebook.
Posted Duncan Butchart: "Such enormous respect for Kerri Wolter and her team... just so tireless and committed in the face of this ongoing poisoning (and electrocution) horror. Well done to you Vanessa Bristow and your team for playing such a vital role in this incident."
(There are two videos on the page in the heading)
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
