Vultures can prevent tens of millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and methane emissions each year, a new study finds. The study, published in Ecosystem Services, found that the scavengers who feed on dead animals are helping out the environment. There are 22 species of vultures around the world, and they are often […]
Tag: vulture
‘It’s a serious problem’: battle to save Griffon vulture heats up in Cyprus
They’re vital for the ecosystem, play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and, for bird lovers, are an ecotourism delight. But in Cyprus, where prolific use of poison bait has made the Griffon vulture virtually extinct, campaigners are taking action. “Island-wide, we had just eight,” says Melpo Apostolidou at BirdLife Cyprus, which is […]
Study shows vultures have an appetite for long-distance travel
Scientists have shed light on the vast distances traveled by vultures—with several birds regularly commuting over 1,200 km in week-long excursions. These epic journeys were observed by scientists using specialized GPS tags to track the movements of African white-backed vultures in Tanzania. One bird was tracked visiting eight countries as part of a “grand tour” […]
Over 700 Vultures Die in Sanctuary After Avian Flu Outbreak
Over 700 wild black vultures died in Georgia after the bird flu broke out and infected the animals at Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary. Newsweek reported that the dead vultures were found on August 13, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that this year, over 2,100 wild birds and over 40 million […]
Traditional Witch Doctors Blamed For Murder of Over 100 Vultures They Use For Potions
After 100 vultures in a South African park died, witch doctors are being blamed for poisoning them so that they can use their body parts in black magic potions. At least 150 critically endangered vultures were poisoned to death in Botswana and South Africa in two separate events last week. Around 100 were found dead […]
![A Cape vulture flies low at the Vulpro Vulture Rehabilitation Centre in Hartebeepoort Dam in the Magalisburg region of South Africa in 2015 [Mujahid Safodien/AFP] (AFP)](https://focusingonwildlife.com/news/wp-content/uploads/000_Par8276044.jpg "More than 150 endangered vultures poisoned in South Africa, Botswana")
More than 150 endangered vultures poisoned in South Africa, Botswana
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 […]
Life at 30: the EU project that has saved species from lynx to flying squirrels
“It has been a miracle,” whispers biologist Gabriel Llorens Folgado as he studies a tumble of granite boulders for any signs of movement. The miracle is that Spain’s lynx population has been saved. Today, in the wildflower-coated hills of the Sierra de Andújar in southern Spain, Folgado is looking for Magarza and her four cubs. […]
Scientists uncover widespread declines of raptors in Kenya
A recent study confirms alarming declines in raptor populations in Kenya. Incidental poisoning is a major problem for vultures in particular, depriving ecosystems of the birds’ vital role as scavengers. Conservationists are working with communities to help species recover. “The population of raptors today bears no resemblance to those numbers we saw a half century […]