DURBAN, South Africa — Another mass vulture poisoning incident has ended the year on a sour note for Wildlife ACT rangers in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. Soon after releasing two rehabilitated vultures, rescued from a different poisoning scene earlier this year, WildLife ACT was alerted to another incident on 23 Dec, on Rolling […]
Tag: vulture
Over 700 protected birds confiscated in ‘largest haul in years’
More than 700 dead protected birds were confiscated by authorities on Thursday in what they say is the largest such haul in six years. In a joint operation, members of the police’s Administrative Law Enforcement unit together with officials from the Environment and Resources Authority, seized birds including eagles, falcons and vultures as well as […]
New project tackles illegal trade in vulture body parts
In Nigeria and across Africa, vultures are being killed so that their body parts can be used for various belief-based practices, including traditional medicine. This is a severe threat for a group of birds already beleaguered by poisoning and habitat loss. But on the 8th of May, scientists, officials and community members gathered at Lekki […]
POLL: Should there be a federal ban on the use of lead ammunition?
Lead ammunition has been public enemy number one for decades due to its negative health effects. Legislators have enacted laws to protect citizens, but they’ve neglected our nation’s emblem: the bald eagle. Recent cases of bald eagle poisonings highlight the need for a national ban on lead ammunition and fishing tackle. In early February, a […]
How Did a Dead Humpback Whale End Up in the Amazon Rainforest?
When they followed vultures into the rainforest on Marajó Island in Brazil, near the mouth of the Amazon River officials with the state health, sanitation and environment department made a surprising discovery. The birds were feeding on the carcass of a 10-ton, 26-foot-long humpback whale calf. The calf, about a year old, was in an […]
23 Condors Killed by Poison in Argentina
23 Andean Condors have been killed in Patagonia, Argentina, by a strong pesticide whose sale is prohibited in the country. These attacks follow ones in Jujuy and Mendoza provinces, and have conservation organizations extremely worried, as they represent a severe threat to the species. At least 23 Andean Condors (Vulture gryphus) have been poisoned in […]
Brazil Pantanal Day #3 – Fish Fest
Another great day in the Pantanal, despite the increasing mosquito load. The morning boat trip with Pantanal Nature produced another Jaguar encounter, our fifth in total. We intercepted a huge male swimming across the river, just too late before it reached the shore and disappeared promptly into the forest: Again we had breathtaking experiences with […]
New report: South Africa’s seabirds, raptors in serious decline
For bird lovers, South Africa has always been a great place to be. From the world’s largest bird, Common Ostrich Struthio camelus to the tiny Cape Penduline-Tit Anthoscopus minutus the country boasts an impressive amount of avian biodiversity. A new study from BirdLife South Africa, however, shows that the past few years have not been […]