A total of 32 vultures were collected throughout the year with the majority (50%) of the cases being from powerline injuries, 30% from poisoning incidents and 20% heat stress. Fortunately 14 of these birds are releasable and will be released in due course with cell phone tracking and monitoring devices. Vultures that are not releasable, are housed at the unit for education and research purposes which can benefit vulture conservation.

Vulture Release

Cape Griffon released at Nooitgedacht on 30 January 2004

The De Wildt Vulture Unit is very fortunate to have vultures breeding in captivity. This gives us a unique opportunity to utilize these captive bred vultures in population supplementation programmes. With only 11 wild Cape Griffon Vultures remaining in Namibia, the De Wildt Vulture Unit together with the Rare and Endangered Species Trust has sent 18 releasable vultures to Namibia for release in October 2005. It is hoped, through collaborative efforts to send approximately 90 Cape Griffon Vultures to Namibia, in the hope of increasing and stablilising the few remaining before extinction occurs.

African White Back Vulture with splints on both legs

Vulture being x-rayed

Vulture X-Ray

Juvenile African White-backed Vulture that flew into powerlines

Project Partners: Birds of Prey Working Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust
Wildlife Biological Resource Centre of the NRF
BirdLife International
BirdLife SA
Rare and Endangered Species Trust in Namibia
Raptor Taxon Advisory Group (USA)
Johannesburg Zoo in collaboration with the PZC
University of Pretoria
Blouberg Vulture Conservation Project

Project Sponsors: ESKOM
Computer Facilities
Vodacom Foundation
Tony and Lisette Lewis Foundation
Alnet
Johannesburg Zoo in collaboration with the PZC
Symco
Joan St Ledger Lindbergh Charitable Trust