Join Us On A Journey To South Africa (And help us save a species in the process!)

by Jenyva Turner, our own Zoo keeper and vulture enthusiast

Wide-open grasslands, large herds of animals roaming freely, unique animals found nowhere else on earth… these are all reasons people travel to Africa; but what about traveling to help vultures? That is just what I am looking forward to doing January 2011!

I will be participating in a research project I helped conceptualize and organize in conjunction with VulPro (Vulture Programme) in South Africa and BioDiversity Research Institute of the US. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) has been supporting the research and rehabilitation work of VulPro for a year and a half now through the Quarters for Conservation program.


Cape Vulture

This journey in January will be focusing on the overall health assessment of the Cape vulture and African white-backed vulture populations in the Magaliesburg region of South Africa.


We will be capturing approximately 30 vultures, ringing them (similar to bird banding in the US), tagging them (placing bold wing tags with large numbers on both wings), and taking various non-invasive samples from them vultures: feather, fecal, blood and vomit samples. (And believe me, I do suspect that I will be getting vomited on… a lot!) From those samples we will be able to determine the sex and genetics of the bird as well as test for lead or mercury exposure or exposure to deadly poisons or NSAIDs.


African White-backed Vulture

Poisoning is the #1 threat to vultures in South Africa and is the focus of our study. We hope to determine if it’s possible to detect early-onset kidney failure on vultures due to exposure to poisons or NSAIDs with the use of a hand-held human uric acid meter. If the bird’s uric acid levels are elevated, this could indicate kidney failure and the bird could be taken in for treatment and supportive care before it’s too late. (By the time a vulture shows signs of being sick, it’s usually too late.) This is the first time such a study has been performed on vultures, so this project is very exciting!

Why Save the Vultures?

Vultures are essential to the health of ecosystems around the world. As obligate scavengers, vultures clean up dead animal remains and prevent the spread of disease. Vultures can eat carcasses of animals that died of deadly diseases, such as rabies or anthrax, without getting sick themselves¬– they don’t even spread the disease as their stomach acids kill any pathogens. We need vultures in our world! Unfortunately, vulture populations are declining rapidly around the world due to a number of different factors including poisoning, electrocution, starvation and hunting for the African folk medicine trade. 40 million vultures have died in Asia in recent years.

What Can You Do?

Please help me collect supplies on VulPro’s wish list to take with me to Africa to help further their research and rehabilitation work. Bring your items to the Zoo and drop them off at the front gate, letting an attendant know that the items are for vulture conservation. Last day to donate is January 15th. You can find a list of the needed supplies online.

If you are not able to donate but still want to help, don’t worry! There are so many other ways you can help vultures in Africa, as well as here at home in Colorado. Visit the Quarters for Conservation page for more information on how you can take action.

While I am in South Africa, I will be writing on the Zoo’s blog, In Between the Spots, as to the progress and experiences of our research project. So check back in January and journey with me to Africa!