By Jenyva Turner
23 January 2011
Hartbeespoort, North West Province, South Africa
Sadly, vultures in the wild are facing many different threats. Vulpro is working to find ways to protect the vultures from these various threats through research and education.
The number one threat to vultures in the Mageliesberg region is electrocution and collisions with power lines. Oftentimes these birds do not survive, and if they do survive they are brought to Vulpro for rehabilitation. Sometimes they can be released, and sometimes they cannot. Non-releasable vultures can be used for education or display in reputable zoos. The zoos in South Africa are filled to capacity with non-releasable vultures. Therefore, zoos like Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have imported Cape vultures to provide professional care for them and to allow them to be ambassadors for their species. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 3 Cape griffon vultures were imported from South Africa in 2004. They too were injured in collisions with power lines and could not be released. They are now helping people realize how incredible vultures are, how important they are to our environment, and how we need them. Our pair has just recently laid an egg, so they may also be contributing to the success of the captive population in North America.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Cape Vulture, on display daily in African Rift Valley.
Vulpro is working with South Africa’s main power supplier, Eskom, to develop bird-friendly power lines to lessen the dangers of electrocution and collision.
Eskom test enclosure.
Vultures often use pylons as roosts and as a result, become injured.
Vultures resting on pylons.
Eskom engineers are developing various pylon designs to prevent injury (see photos below). They are testing these designs out on Kerri’s captive birds in a specially-designed test enclosure. The observations made watching birds interact with the pylons helps engineers become more effective.
Test pylons:
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