Creecy’s plan to save South Africa’s imperilled vulture population

They are nature’s clean-up crew, doing the dirty work of clearing animals’ carcasses and helping to keep ecosystems healthy by acting as natural recyclers.

But Africa’s vultures are circling towards extinction. Once common and widespread, populations of the scavengers have plummeted in most range states over the past 30 years. This decline has been driven by poisoning — intentional and unintentional — collisions and electrocutions with energy infrastructure and habitat change.

“The lack of collective and decisive action has ensured these declines are continuing on a continental scale, to which South Africa is not unique,” according to the draft multi-species biodiversity management plan for vultures in South Africa, which was recently published for public comment by Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy. 

Of the nine species in South Africa, seven have established breeding populations and the plan is focused on safeguarding their survival. It was developed by the National Vulture Task Force, which was established by the department.