* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Middle Eastern Entertainment Headlines at 5:49 a.m. GMT – Yahoo

    Exciting Updates from the Middle Eastern Entertainment Scene!

    Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment is WLAF’s Business of the Week – WLAF

    Spotlight on Success: Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment Shines as This Week’s Featured Business!

    Brass Lion Entertainment unveils co-op action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver – VentureBeat

    Unleash Your Inner Warrior: Discover the Co-Op Action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver!

    Entertainment lineup released for 2025 Mississippi State Fair – WAPT

    Exciting Entertainment Lineup Unveiled for the 2025 Mississippi State Fair!

    After Denzel Washington Said He Would Be In Black Panther 3, Ryan Coogler Explained Why He’s ‘Fine’ With That Information Being Revealed So Early – Yahoo

    Ryan Coogler Shares Why He’s Cool with Denzel Washington’s Black Panther 3 Reveal!

    Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival to stop at Florence Yall’s stadium this October – Cincinnati Enquirer

    Get Ready for a Flavor Fiesta: Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival Hits Florence Y’all’s Stadium This October!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Reeves to Announce £86 Billion for Science and Technology in Spending Review – Bloomberg

    Reeves Set to Unveil Groundbreaking £86 Billion Investment in Science and Technology!

    Innovation at Scale: How P&G Transforms Business Through Technology – Procter & Gamble

    Revolutionizing Business: P&G’s Bold Journey into Technological Innovation

    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Apple Watch and the future of wearable technology in healthcare – MSN

    Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Future of Wearable Technology with Apple Watch

    ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Receives NSF Grant to Develop Quantum Technology – Syracuse University News

    Unlocking the Future: ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Secures NSF Grant for Groundbreaking Quantum Technology Development

    Fire Tech Brief: 5 Fire Apparatus Technology Upgrades – firehouse.com

    Revving Up Safety: 5 Innovative Upgrades for Fire Apparatus Technology

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Middle Eastern Entertainment Headlines at 5:49 a.m. GMT – Yahoo

    Exciting Updates from the Middle Eastern Entertainment Scene!

    Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment is WLAF’s Business of the Week – WLAF

    Spotlight on Success: Ceramic Dalmatian Entertainment Shines as This Week’s Featured Business!

    Brass Lion Entertainment unveils co-op action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver – VentureBeat

    Unleash Your Inner Warrior: Discover the Co-Op Action RPG Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver!

    Entertainment lineup released for 2025 Mississippi State Fair – WAPT

    Exciting Entertainment Lineup Unveiled for the 2025 Mississippi State Fair!

    After Denzel Washington Said He Would Be In Black Panther 3, Ryan Coogler Explained Why He’s ‘Fine’ With That Information Being Revealed So Early – Yahoo

    Ryan Coogler Shares Why He’s Cool with Denzel Washington’s Black Panther 3 Reveal!

    Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival to stop at Florence Yall’s stadium this October – Cincinnati Enquirer

    Get Ready for a Flavor Fiesta: Traveling Tacos and Tequila Festival Hits Florence Y’all’s Stadium This October!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Reeves to Announce £86 Billion for Science and Technology in Spending Review – Bloomberg

    Reeves Set to Unveil Groundbreaking £86 Billion Investment in Science and Technology!

    Innovation at Scale: How P&G Transforms Business Through Technology – Procter & Gamble

    Revolutionizing Business: P&G’s Bold Journey into Technological Innovation

    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Drag racer survives frightening airborne crash at World Wide Technology Raceway – FOX 2

    Apple Watch and the future of wearable technology in healthcare – MSN

    Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Future of Wearable Technology with Apple Watch

    ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Receives NSF Grant to Develop Quantum Technology – Syracuse University News

    Unlocking the Future: ECS Professor Pankaj K. Jha Secures NSF Grant for Groundbreaking Quantum Technology Development

    Fire Tech Brief: 5 Fire Apparatus Technology Upgrades – firehouse.com

    Revving Up Safety: 5 Innovative Upgrades for Fire Apparatus Technology

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Wildlife’s ‘clean-up crew’ in crisis; why the world needs vultures

July 4, 2023
in Business
Wildlife’s ‘clean-up crew’ in crisis; why the world needs vultures
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Denise Slabbert’s article highlights the alarming decline of vulture populations in Africa and the threats they face. Vultures play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health by scavenging carcasses and preventing the spread of diseases. However, factors such as poisoning, poaching, habitat loss, and infrastructure development are pushing vultures to the brink of extinction. The illegal killing of vultures for muti, traditional medicine, is a significant issue, and protected areas like Kruger National Park are targeted by poachers. Various conservation efforts have been initiated, including the establishment of Vulture Safe Zones and rapid-response rescue protocols. Positive results have been observed in some areas, such as Kenya and Malawi, where vulture populations are rebounding. Protecting biodiversity, including vultures, is vital for a healthy planet and a sustainable future. The article was first published on FirstRand Perspectives.

Nature’s essential workers

By Denise Slabbert

Often referred to as wildlife’s “clean-up crew,” vulture numbers are sadly dwindling on the African continent, but when they do pitch up – it’s a sign that nature is thriving.

Who needs supermodel looks when your USP is an iron-cast stomach that can digest the likes of rabies, botulism, cholera, and anthrax without even flinching one of your three eyelids?

“We understand that they are not pretty, but they provide a vital service, and that service is that they get rid of carcasses that would potentially spread diseases to livestock, to other wildlife, to humanity. And they provide this service for free,” says Dr Munir Virani from the Peregrine Fund, an international NPO that focuses on the conservation of threatened and endangered birds of prey around the world.

Unfortunately, Africa’s vultures are in crisis. According to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), vultures are one of the most threatened groups of terrestrial birds on the planet. Of the six species found in South Africa, all are either endangered or critically endangered. Poisoning and poaching account for many deaths of the vulture population, as well as diminishing habitats and construction infrastructure such as power lines.

Shaun Smilie wrote an expose in the Daily Maverick (DM) two months ago pointing to a report by researcher Mbali Mashele. Who identified that every year between 400 and 800 vultures are killed by traditional healers for muti. “Most of the vultures are harvested within protected areas like Kruger National Park, where they [poachers] go in illegally,” says Mashele.

An author of the study, Prof Colleen Downs of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, says it’s poaching and poisoning threatening the vulture populations and a range of factors, including other wildlife such as elephants who push trees over, destroying vulture’s nests.

Read also: Maths midlife crises: A failure of nerve, not intellect

African vultures in crisis

South Africa is not alone in the problem. In 2019, 537 vultures died after feeding on poisoned elephant carcasses, and Dr. Beckie Garbett reported (The Conversation) that, since 2019, over 2000 vultures have been killed in Guinea Bissau.

In his 2020 Guardian article titled, “The vultures aren’t soaring over Africa – and that’s bad news,” Stephen Moss writes that from 1992 to 2007, India’s vulture population declined drastically, leading to an increased risk of disease, and points out that “there are signs that Africa’s vulture populations are also plummeting at an alarming rate.”

In 2015 BirdLife International raised the alarm that Africa’s vultures were on a direct flight path to extinction. Their awareness campaign and stellar work with conservation organisations and community NGOs on the ground have shown some positive results.

Following Asia’s example, “Vulture Safe Zones” were implemented in South Africa. These are large areas of land where homeowners agree to manage their properties in ways conducive to vulture survival. In 2019, Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve in the Northern was declared South Africa’s first vulture safe zone. Since then, numerous safe zones have been created in South Africa and neighbouring countries, essential as vultures are long-distance foragers.

One of BirdLife’s partners, Nature Kenya, worked with The Peregrine Fund and the Kenya Wildlife Service to create “rapid-response vulture rescue protocols” in India. Rangers were trained to dispose of poisoned carcasses with urgency as well as gather evidence against possible perpetrators. A publicity campaign was also launched in villages across the Masai Mara, getting community buy-in. Figures show that from 2017 – 2019, the poisoning of vultures in the Mara had dropped by more than 50%.

BirdLife also has programmes underway in Nigeria, where the Nigerian Conservation Fund (NCF) has embarked on a countrywide project to end vulture poaching. “Belief-based” usage of vulture parts is the main reason, and as a result, is impacting vulture populations throughout West Africa. The NCF is working with traditional healers to try and introduce wildlife-friendly options. As the movie industry is huge in that country, the NCF launched a documentary titled “Our Plights to Survive: Nigeria’s Vulture and Wildlife Trade Crisis” and partnered this with an ambassador campaign on social media.

Read also: Float like a butterfly … Do these insects hold the key to future flight technology?

Vulture recovery in Malawi

As David Attenborough tells us, we need to protect the planet’s biodiversity as we are all interconnected. An exciting example of this is the restoration of wildlife in Malawi, which has resulted in the return of the vultures.

Olivia Sievert, the Research Manager for the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, has been working closely with conservation NGO African Parks in both Liwonde and Majete National Parks.

She points out little scientific literature on vulture populations, breeding, and movements within Malawi. It is thought that the early 1990s had wiped out most populations. However, due to significant efforts in conservation in Malawi, there has been an increase in wildlife, and the vultures have returned.

Sievert says, “Vulture populations were noted as returning to Majete Wildlife Reserve as carnivores (lion and leopard) were reintroduced. A similar trend followed suit in Liwonde National Park with the reintroduction of cheetahs. Interestingly, we now know that these populations of vultures are connected. They use Majete and Liwonde, and Lengwe National Park (just to the south of Majete) to forage roosting and nesting sites. This demonstrates how important this mosaic of protected areas is to support a healthy breeding vulture population.”

Some of the most exciting findings to date, notes Sievert, are researchers recording the first-ever documented movements of vultures between Malawi and South Africa and the first recorded White-headed vulture nest in Majete (there are only an estimated 2,500-10,000 individuals left).

While vultures may never be able to ditch their unlovable reputation, one thing is for sure – we need them for a healthy planet.As Sir David Attenborough writes in his book, A Life on Our Planet, “To restore stability to our planet, therefore, we must restore its biodiversity, the very thing we have removed. It is the only way out of this crisis that we have created. We must rewild the world.”

(Visited 37 times, 37 visits today)

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : BizNews – https://www.biznews.com/good-hope-project/2023/07/04/wildlifes-clean-up-crew-in-crisis-why-the-world-needs-vultures

Tags: ‘clean-upbusinessWildlife’s
Previous Post

Understanding tax emigration for South Africans leaving or living abroad

Next Post

Ban the blue light mafia – Ian Cameron

Reeves to Announce £86 Billion for Science and Technology in Spending Review – Bloomberg

Reeves Set to Unveil Groundbreaking £86 Billion Investment in Science and Technology!

June 8, 2025
Shotgun sequencing of airborne eDNA achieves rapid assessment of whole biomes, population genetics and genomic variation – Nature

Revolutionizing Biodiversity: Rapid Insights into Ecosystems and Genetic Diversity Through Shotgun Sequencing of Airborne eDNA

June 8, 2025
Earth’s energy balance is rising much faster than scientists predicted, and we have no idea why – Live Science

Unraveling the Mystery: Earth’s Energy Balance is Surging Faster Than Expected!

June 8, 2025
The Undermining of Science — and Society — Continues – UExpress

How the Erosion of Science is Impacting Our Society

June 8, 2025
10 habits that secretly ‘kill’ your happy hormones – Times of India

10 Surprising Habits That Sabotage Your Happy Hormones

June 8, 2025
A GPS Blackout Would Shut Down the World – WIRED

How a GPS Blackout Could Bring the World to a Standstill

June 8, 2025
Six Steps To Ruin a Country’s Image, Economy, and Global Standing | Opinion – Newsweek

Six Surefire Ways to Dismantle a Nation’s Reputation and Prosperity

June 8, 2025
Middle Eastern Entertainment Headlines at 5:49 a.m. GMT – Yahoo

Exciting Updates from the Middle Eastern Entertainment Scene!

June 8, 2025
Omada shares rise 21% in Nasdaq debut after health tech company’s IPO – CNBC

Omada Soars 21% in Thrilling Nasdaq Debut Following Successful IPO!

June 8, 2025
Politics-Based Investing Sounds Smart. But These Strategies Work Better. – Barron’s

Politics-Based Investing Sounds Smart. But These Strategies Work Better. – Barron’s

June 8, 2025

Categories

Archives

June 2025
MTWTFSS
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30 
« May    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (677)
  • Economy (690)
  • Entertainment (21,596)
  • General (15,271)
  • Health (9,732)
  • Lifestyle (694)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (691)
  • Politics (698)
  • Science (15,909)
  • Sports (21,193)
  • Technology (15,677)
  • World (675)

Recent News

Reeves to Announce £86 Billion for Science and Technology in Spending Review – Bloomberg

Reeves Set to Unveil Groundbreaking £86 Billion Investment in Science and Technology!

June 8, 2025
Shotgun sequencing of airborne eDNA achieves rapid assessment of whole biomes, population genetics and genomic variation – Nature

Revolutionizing Biodiversity: Rapid Insights into Ecosystems and Genetic Diversity Through Shotgun Sequencing of Airborne eDNA

June 8, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version