International Vulture Awareness Day
Today is the International Vulture Awareness Day. This awareness day was started by the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Birds of Prey Programme and its partners and associates to promote vulture conservation across the world. The aim is for each participating organisation to carry out their own activities that highlight vulture conservation and awareness.
South Africa is home to nine vulture species, seven of which face the threat of extinction. Vultures are threatened by poisoning, persecution, contact with power lines, drowning in farm reservoirs in drier parts of the country, shortage of safe food supplies and the loss of suitable habitat. Other threats include the use of vultures in traditional medicine and divination, the capture and illegal trade in live birds, and the increase in the elephant population, which has resulted in a loss of nesting trees.
