This series of photos of critically endangered African White-Backed vultures were taken by team member Casey Pratt in the Hluhluwe iMfolozi game reserve last year. The Love Africa team was there documenting the amazing conservation work being done by Wildlife ACT – Focused Conservation and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to save these incredible birds.
Vulture tagging and releasing is an important part of the conservation work being done to save this species. Not only does it help monitor the birds, but the data captured also provides vital information such as the range of the birds and population numbers. Young individuals are known to cover hundreds of kilometres in one day.
‘At the end of last year, a critically endangered African White-Backed Vulture was found poisoned with the possibility of more vulture carcasses removed from the site in Zululand over the 2020 festive season. This comes exactly one year after an incident in the same area, which later resulted in the rescue and rehabilitation of four African White-Backed Vultures and one Lappet-Faced Vulture. Poisoning is the primary threat facing these birds in KwaZulu-Natal and, without swift response, a single poisoning incident can affect an entire breeding cluster. Vultures are poisoned and then sold in traditional markets where their parts are sought after.’ Via Wildlife ACT – Focused Conservation. (Find out more on this incident here)
Vulture numbers across the continent are in a steep decline, affected by numerous anthropogenic threats. The Love Africa team are determined and committed to working with organisations such as Wildlife ACT-Focused Conservation to raise awareness around the plight of these birds and ensure they get the protection and attention they deserve in 2021.