In the new project, efforts will be made to protect the species from further losses over the next three years. In addition to current population dynamic studies, the aim of this project will be to find and remove all possible contaminants from the vulture food chain. This is important as the indigenous vulture population is almost wholly reliant on the semi-artificial feeding systems known as vulture restaurants (vulture restaurants are the process whereby farmers have been asked to place out carcasses to feed the birds on their farms). Unfortunately since much of the food donated to these restaurants, are from dead animals on farms or even trophy kills it is possible that veterinary drugs could enter in this vulnerable food chain. In the light of lead particles from a simple bullet track being extremely toxic in other vulture species, ensuring a safe food source is thus vital. To this extent, the new project will attempt and identify potential vulture intoxicants and remove them from the vulture food-chain to prevent further losses of our birds.

The launch of the project was held at the Leopard Lodge near the Hartbeestpoort dam, under a thriving Cape Griffon Colony. In the picture (fromleft), Dr Rob Little (WWF), Ms Kerri Wolter (Vulture Programme) and Dr Vinny Naidoo (Faculty of Veterinary Science, UP) with an uninterested Cape Griffon.

A Cape Griffon Vulture




Dr Vinny Naidoo of the Faculty explaining some elements of the new project at the launch