At least 150 critically-endangered vultures were poisoned to death in separate incidents in Botswana and South Africa, conservationists said, warning that the mass killings pushed the birds closer to extinction. In the latest incidents, more than 50 white-backed vultures were found dead in Botswana’s northern Chobe district on Friday, while about 100 others were discovered […]
Tag: Cape vulture
Bearded giants gliding the barrier of spears
This is the first post from my trip to Giant’s Castle in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg park in mid-July. Apart from the breath-taking beauty, a key attraction at Giant’s Castle was its vulture hide. The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park has Africa’s highest mountain range south of Kilimanjaro. It presents a formidable horizon of massive basalt cliffs in […]
Vultures nearing extinction in Africa
Africa’s vultures are vanishing, according to a new report, posing a potential health risk to humans and livestock, since populations of other scavengers such as rats and jackals could rise as a result. The assessment, carried out by the conservation group BirdLife International, found that six of Africa’s 11 vulture species were at risk of […]
Power lines provide mixed fortunes for Cape vultures
Cape vultures in southern Africa are using expanding networks of pylons and power lines to extend their range, say scientists. At the same time these lines are also contributing to this threatened bird of prey’s decline through fatal collisions and electrocutions. The study involved a team of experts from the UK and South Africa tracking […]