A massive milestone in conservation has been achieved thanks to the relocation of 160 vultures in the Eastern Cape! The vulture relocation mission is imperative in securing the future of these wild populations in Southern Africa:
Eastern Cape, South Africa (23 January 2024) — The first phase of a project to secure the future of wild vulture populations in Southern Africa has successfully been completed with 160 Cape and African White-backed vultures settled at Shamwari Private Game Reserve—their new home.
The birds are the vanguard of a two-year project to establish a breeding facility, VulPro (the only vulture conservation organisation of its kind in Africa founded by Kerri Wolter) at Shamwari, for sick or injured vultures that have been rehabilitated and are able to breed, but aren’t releasable. Future hopes are that the offspring of the Cape Vultures will be released at Shamwari where they will help restore the indigenous fauna on the reserve.
In what is the largest relocation of vultures ever undertaken, the birds were transported 1042km from VulPro’s facility in Hartebeespoort to their new bespoke enclosures at Shamwari.
The move involved over 50 people and took 18 hours. All 160 birds loaded in just 3 hours. NGO WeWild Africa, who specialises in animal rewilding and translocation, made sure the loading went smoothly and funded the crates!
Other everyday heroes involved were Professor Katja Koeppel from the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Dr Johan Joubert from Shamwari.
This is the beginning of more good news to come, with a second phase on the horizon later this year. Then, the relocation of breeding pairs of non-releasable, Lappet-faced, White-headed and Hooded Vultures and some White-backed Vultures will be part of the second big release.
What is Causing Widespread Population Collapse of These Savanna Raptors?
According to a study recently published in Nature, Ecology & Evolution by Dr Phil Shaw, raptors, including vultures, are at “considerable risk from habitat conversion, prey-base depletion and persecution, driven principally by human population expansion.”
Why is This Conservation Milestone so Important?
Joe Colette, Shamwari’s CEO puts it succinctly:
“To put it in perspective, in conservation terms I consider this as significant as relocating 160 rhino. Vultures are vital for a healthy ecosystem and are severely threatened. I cannot overstate how reintroducing Cape Vultures to Shamwari is crucial to our conservation journey and enhancing the ecological importance of the reserve and the Eastern Cape.”
Watch the Relocation Mission!
Sources: Supplied
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