Threats to Vultures & Vulture Conservation

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nan
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Re: Vultures in Crisis

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0*\ ... all is in reprieve :-(


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Mass poisoning of vultures in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

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BY GILL STADEN, ETN SOUTH AFRICA | DEC 01, 2013

At about 10:15 on 21 November 2013, whilst on routine patrol in the Masinda Section of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife field rangers came across the carcasses of 37 white-backed vultures. All were found in the immediate vicinity of a carcass of an elephant that died a month previously.

Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park, formerly Hluhluwe–Umfolozi Game Reserve, is the oldest proclaimed natural park in Africa. It consists of 960 km² (96,000 ha) of hilly topography 280 kilometres (170 mi) north of Durban in central Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is known for its rich wildlife and conservation efforts. The park is the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where all the big five game animals occur. Due to conservation efforts, the park now has the largest population of white rhino in the world

Indications are that the vultures had been poisoned. 29 of the vultures had their heads removed, a familiar sign of their use in the muthi trade. Of the 37 white-backed vultures, three were adult birds, nine were sub-adults and 17 were immature. The age of eight of the vultures could not be determined as they had already been scavenged. “This loss represents a significant number of young vultures which should have been recruited into the system and could have an effect on the future breeding potential of vultures in the Zululand area” said Dr Dave Druce, Park Ecologist for Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. The loss of adult birds during the breeding season means that additional juvenile birds may die on their nests.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is taking this event extremely seriously and has opened a case with SAPS. Vulture carcasses have been taken for toxicology analysis to determine the type of poison used and the Organised Crime Unit has investigated the scene. A helicopter has been used to search the area around the elephant carcass for other mortalities but no other carcasses have so far been found. Ezemvelo staff will continue to monitor the area to determine if other vultures or carnivores have been affected. The remains of the elephant and the vultures have now been burnt to ensure further deaths from scavenging from the poisoned elephant carcass do not occur.

All vulture species are declining and are recognised as priority species within KZN. Annual aerial surveys are conducted by Ezemvelo in the Zululand area to determine the trends and breeding success of tree-nesting vultures (white-backed, lappet-faced and white-headed vultures). The population of white-backed vultures at uMkhuze Game Reserve has declined by two thirds as a result of several poisoning incidents over the last few years. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park remains the last stronghold of vultures in Zululand; presently there are about 11 pairs of lappet-faced vultures, 5 pairs of white-headed vultures and 390 pairs of white-backed vultures remaining in the park. Poisoning remains the biggest threat to vultures in South Africa. In July 56 Cape Vultures were poisoned by a farmer in the Swartberg area using a poison called carbofuran.

A number of vultures are fitted with numbered yellow wing tags and this year, with the support of the Wildlife ACT Fund and the Endangered Wildlife Trust, numerous lappet-faced and white-headed vultures have been fitted with GPS tracking devices to monitor their movements, determine their range and to assist in identifying potential risks to them.

http://www.eturbonews.com/40233/mass-po ... uth-africa


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Re: Mass poisoning of vultures in Kwazulu-Natal, South Afric

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the logic of the alimentary chaine 0*\ O/ O/ O/


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Egyptian Vulture

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not only Asia has strange ideas 0-
O-/ :-(

here 0=

I don't now if is the good place to post this :-?
if not, MOD deplace/replace/remove


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Re: Egyptian Vulture

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Many Nigerians also consume the vultures’ meat and even their excrement hoping that these will cure disease.

I don't think most do it, but some...there you go...

Not much else to say, nana, maybe to apologise on behalf of the continent?... :-(


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Re: Threats to Vultures

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Bird numbers fly into the red

July 29 2014 at 12:10pm
By KAMCILLA PILLAY

Poisoning, power line electrocutions, traditional medicine, and wind farms all pose a risk to some KwaZulu-Natal species of birds.

BirdLife International said the bearded vulture has been hardest hit in the province and country.

Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson, conservation manager and an Oppenheimer Fellow of Birdlife South Africa, said on Friday that the bearded vulture, has been moved from the “least concern” category to “near threatened” by BirdLife International this year.

BirdLife International is the custodian of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Bird Species.

“In our regional Red Data Book, to be published later this year, this species will be listed as ‘critically endangered’, with only about 400 individuals and 100 breeding pairs remaining in the wild in South Africa (Free State, KZN and the Eastern Cape) and Lesotho (mainly restricted to the escarpment and Lesotho highlands).”

She said the Southern African population was endemic to the Maloti Drakensberg Mountains.

Smit-Robinson said that vultures in particular were susceptible for collision with wind turbines.

“BirdLife South Africa, BirdLife International and The Royal Society for Protection of Birds are working with the developers and the Lesotho Department of Environmental Affairs to ensure that best practice monitoring will be undertaken prior to the construction at the proposed Letseng wind farm. Only based on such results, will the authorities be able to decide whether the proposed mitigation will be effective and financially feasible.”

She said South Africa and Lesotho shared responsibility for safeguarding the populations of bearded vultures.

“Birds do not observe political boundaries and the populations of both species span South Africa and Lesotho. Significant impacts on the birds in one country will spill over to its neighbour. We therefore believe that the project has a responsibility to respond to the threat that the proposed Letseng Wind Farm poses to populations of bearded vultures, as further declines of birds in Lesotho will severely impact the viability and survival rates of the vultures in South Africa.”

She said that vultures played important roles in ecology, the economy and in culture.

“They are scavengers and by disposing of waste and carcasses they help control populations of other disease-carrying scavengers and pests. In this way they help protect human health, as well as that of domesticated animals and wildlife.”

Local bird expert and curator of birds at the Durban Natural Science Museum David Allan said South Africa held the only population of the beared vulture in the southern hemisphere.

“The rest are found only in Europe and Asia, so our variety is very special.”

He agreed with Smit-Robinson, adding that great care had to be taken to protect the bird species.

“We don’t have wind turbines here yet, but we can see from the mortality rates of similar species in countries like Spain that we need to be thinking carefully of safeguards.”

Another South African species that has been moved up the list from “near threatened” to “globally vulnerable”, is the Taita falcon, said Smit-Robinson.

“An estimated 50 breeding pairs and less than 500 individuals remain across its range in southern, eastern and western Africa. The Taita falcon will similarly be uplisted to ‘critically endangered’ in the region, with only eight pairs known from the Mpumalanga and Hoedspruit areas in South Africa.”

According to Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife’s Head of Science: “The 2014 Global Red List is crucial not only for helping to identify those species needing targeted recovery efforts, but also for focusing the conservation agenda by identifying the key sites and habitats that need to be saved, including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas.”

BirdLife South Africa bases its checklist on the global one provided by the International Ornithologist’s Union, as the basis for its Red List process.

The 2014 global assessment also raised the importance of several threatened bird hotspots. Many of the newly recognised species are found in South-East Asia, where biodiversity is highly threatened.

Parts of this region have already been identified as globally important areas of endemism (holding many species that occur nowhere else).

“These areas need immediate conservation attention to protect the remaining habitat and safeguard the future of critically endangered birds,” said the organisation.

The total number of species recognised by BirdLife in the 2014 Red List update is 10 425.


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Re: Threats to Vultures

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BirdLife South Africa: Poisoning of vultures by South African farmers (21 October 2014) Small Fine

BirdLife South Africa has noted with concern the light sentence of a R20 000 fine and 1 year in prison (of which R10 000 and the prison sentence was suspended for 5 years) handed down to Armand Aucamp of the Eastern Cape. Mr Aucamp was convicted after killing 46 Cape Vultures in December last year, using a sheep’s carcass laced with a powerful insecticide. It is BirdLife South Africa’s view that such a fine is insufficient punishment for the cynical and clearly negligent behaviour displayed by Mr Aucamp.
Farmers have a responsibility to be aware of the unintended consequences of their actions when attempting to deal with threats to their flocks from vagrant dogs, as was the case in this crime. Poison is an extremely dangerous, negligent and harmful response to any predatory threat to livestock or as pest control as it kills indiscriminately.
BirdLife South Africa calls on any farmers (or any South Africans) who are dealing with such issues to please call our offices on 011 789 1122 to receive advice on the most effective ways to protect their flocks in a manner that does not put South Africa’s wild bird and animal populations at risk.
In addition, if anyone is aware of such an event being planned or of having already taken place, please contact the Environmental Crimes and Incidents Hotline on 0800 205 005 to report it.
This event is only one of a number of recent incidents where large numbers of vultures have been killed in poisoning incidents in South Africa.


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Re: Threats to Vultures

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Vultures die from lead bullets and poison baits

Bird’s plight needs financial support.
RICHARD COMPTON | 23 January 2015 11:30


ONE woman’s quest to save the critically endangered Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus Barbatus) needs a lot more help.With now only an estimated 100 breeding pairs left – half the number documented about 30 years ago – Olivia Taylor committed herself as far back as 2000 to raising funds for the species as part of the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife-inspired Maloti-Drakensberg Vulture Project.Statuesque, magnificent and emblematic of South Africa’s transfrontier conservation efforts with Lesotho, the Bearded Vulture is slowly disappearing.Olivia has raised R100 000 for the project, which is situated within a government approved and gazetted Biodiversity Management Plan drawn up in 2011.Olivia approached donors such as Marriott Bank, Shepstone and Wylie Attorneys, the Suncoast Ca-sino, Taylor and Findlay Attorneys, all of whom contributed towards this funding.Other collaborators have been the Wildlands Conservation Trust, the Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Programme and Sasol through the Endangered Wildlife Trust.She was inspired by the overwhelming commitment of Dr Sonja Krüger, Ezemvelo’s ecologist for the Maloti Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site, who has dedicated the past 15 years to saving these birds.Having just obtained her PhD, Sonja’s latest findings and opinions on the bird don’t make pretty reading.Like most threats to all fauna and flora, human thoughtlessness, ignorance and indifference take the high ground where wind farms, power lines and poisoning for traditional medicine pose real threats.But it is to poisoning by farmers and hunters that she points the harshest finger.‘Some 90% of all fatalities come from this.‘Lead poisoning from bullets used by farmers to cull livestock (and hunters killing game) as well as poison baits meant to kill predators such as jackals, present the greatest danger.‘We need stringent measures to prosecute and impose harsh penalties.‘We also have to urgently regulate the import, manufacture and use of poisons including agricultural chemicals and pharmaceutical products lethal to vultures.’Reducing human activities, such as helicopter flights and mountaineering close to nest sites at the beginning of the breeding season as well as supplementing food close to nests, would also help.The money raised to date has been put to great use.Satellite transmitters were fitted to 21 individual birds of all age classes to determine their movement patters and causes of mortality.These cost R30 000 each and data downloading costs from the satellite amounted to R1 000 per bird per month.A digital camera was later placed on a nest site, allowing Sonja to monitor and capture breeding activity.But the stringent financial climate now asks for further funds, specifically to allow the bird’s plight to reach a wider audience.Funds have dried up and it’s to the global audience that Sonja is now paying attention.And she’s hoping someone will fund the necessary bandwidth so that the footage can be uploaded onto the internet to a designated website.‘A camcorder presents an extraordinary marketing tool, where a designated website will open a big window on this species’ plight.’


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Re: Threats to Vultures

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Respect for that lady and her hard work to save the bearded vulture! ^Q^

But still a depressing read...


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Vultures - Bird of the Month January 2015

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Technology solves disappearance mystery of one of Africa’s famous birds

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The magnificent Bearded Vulture is most in danger from humans © Sonja Kruger

The mystery of the gradual disappearance of the Bearded Vulture, one of Africa's most famous birds, has been solved using the technology of satellite tracking.

Once widespread throughout much of Southern Africa, the Bearded Vulture is now critically endangered, with a decline in nesting sites of nearly 50 per cent since the 1960s.

The remaining population is now restricted to the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho and South Africa. But even in these isolated mountains they continue to decline.

Satellite trackers attached to 18 Bearded Vultures have confirmed conservationists' worst fears: humans are largely to blame with collisions with power lines and poisoning being the two major vulture hazards that killed half of the birds in the satellite tracking survey.

These are key findings contained in two new research projects published this month. The studies paint the most detailed picture to date of the challenges facing the Bearded Vulture, also known as the 'bone breaker' due to its habit of dropping bones from a height to feed from the marrow inside.

The first paper, published in the international ornithological journal The Condor by scientists from EKZN Wildlife and the Percy FitzPatrick Institute at the University of Cape Town, found that human-related factors were the common denominator in differences between abandoned and occupied Bearded Vulture territories.

Lead author on the study Dr Sonja Krueger says: “We explored where the biggest difference lay between abandoned and occupied territories and found that human related factors such as human settlement density and powerlines were consistently different between these sites.”

Power line density and human settlement density were more than twice as high within abandoned vulture territories compared to occupied territories, the study found.

Results also suggested that food abundance may influence the bird's overall distribution, and that supplementary vulture feeding schemes may be beneficial.

By contrast climate change was not found to be a major contributing factor in nest abandonment.

“Though not definitive, the results strongly suggest that we humans are our own worst enemies when it comes to conserving one of Africa's iconic birds,” Krueger says.

The study recommended a new approach to vulture conservation management: “Based on the identified threats and mechanisms of abandonment, we recommend that conservation management focus on actions that will limit increased human densities and associated developments and influence the attitudes of people living within the territories of (vulture) breeding pairs,” the study concluded.

“We recommend that mitigation of existing power lines, stricter scrutiny of development proposals, and proactive engagement with developers to influence the placement of structures is essential within the home range of a territorial pair.”

The study's findings are backed up by a second paper published in open access journal PLOS ONE, which relied on data from satellite trackers attached to 18 Bearded Vultures.

The trackers not only showed the exact location of the tagged birds every hour, they also provided critical information on movement patterns and mortality.

Tagging enabled dead birds to be quickly recovered and their cause of death determined.

The study confirmed that, in addition to power lines, poisoning was considered the main threat to vultures across Africa and was contributing to the so-called “African Vulture Crisis”– a large decline of many vulture species across the continent.

The tracking data also provided new information about the birds' ranging behaviour. It revealed that non-breeding birds traveled significantly further than breeding birds and were therefore more vulnerable to human impact.

Some young non-breeding birds patroled an area the size of Denmark. The average adult bird had a home range of about 286 sq km, but the range was much smaller for breeding adults at just 95 sq km.

Dr Arjun Amar from UCT said detailed knowledge about Bearded Vulture home ranges could be hugely beneficial to vulture conservation: “We knew the species was likely to have large home ranges, but our results show just how far these birds travel – and therefore how exposed they are. The more they travel, the more they risk colliding with power lines or falling prey to poisoning.”


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