Vulpro an organization responsible for the rehabilitation of vultures, says in a groundbreaking achievement for African conservation and biology, the first phase of a project to protect wild vulture populations in South Africa has concluded successfully. According to Vulpro, the 160 Cape and African White-backed vultures have been relocated to their new home at the Shamwari Private Game Reserve, marking the largest-ever relocation of these birds. In a recent study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, evidence shows widespread population decline among African White-backed vultures and Cape vultures emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts. Kerri Wolter, the CEO at Vulpro says, vultures are extremely important to the health of the environment. She says communities need to become involved, from farmers to landowners to the man on the street. Wolter, continues by adding that Vulpro holds the largest collection of African vultures, not only in Africa but in the world, and that vultures are considered critically endangered due to human encroachment, habitat conversion, diseases, poisoning, and other threats. She ends by saying Safeguarding, maintaining, and growing the captive population for population restocking through captive breeding is extremely important and the value of these birds cannot be overstated enough

Journalist: Tasha-Ree Kella
Email: tashakella13@gmail.com