DHL have added to conservation efforts by assisting in the transporting of Endangered Cape Vultures from the the Eastern Cape to a rehabilitation sanctuary in Pretoria.
The Cape Griffon vulture, the largest bird of its kind in Africa, is also one of the most endangered. Listed as “vulnerable” to extinction by the World Conservation Union (which is similar to “threatened” on the Endangered Species List) the Cape Griffon vulture has suffered a significant population decline over the past few decades.
Among the dangers faced by the Capes, which are confined to a small area of south and southwest Africa, is electrocution on power lines. In addition, changes in the migration patterns of large game herds and an increase in domesticated animals (which are usually buried when they die) have diminished the amount of food available to the birds and led to dietary insufficiencies.
Vultures form an important ecological component of our natural environment, cleaning up dead carcasses and decreasing the spread of some diseases.
DHL assisted Kate Webster in getting an abandoned baby Cape Vulture to the safety of a rehabilitation sanctuary in Pretoria.
“Once again I cannot explain my gratitude for DHL supply chain and their willingness to assist us with the transportation of Cape Vultures to Vulpro from the Eastern Cape. Fluffly Elliot has gone to live at Vulpro to ‘learn’ to be a proper vulture and if all goes well will take to the skies sometime soon.”
“To the drivers Jabulani and Sakkie – thank you for transporting him over all those kilos to join the Vulpro team.”
Vultures, positioned at the top of the food chain, are an indicator of the health of the environment below them – and dependent for their survival on a healthy environment. As such the work of the Vulture Conservation Programme “VulPro” is intended and expected to favourably impact on many other aspects of the environment – beyond vultures.
VulPro approaches vulture conservation in an integrated, multidisciplinary fashion, with the benefits from the programme accruing to both vultures and society at large. VulPro combines education and good science, with networking, capacity building and knowledge generation.
“The veterinary disciplines of toxicology, pharmacology, clinical pathology and medicine are combined with the science of GSM/GPS telemetry and the banking of genetic and DNA resources, with the goal being to positively influence the well-being of our natural resources to ultimately benefit society.”
“In this regard, VulPro engages in a number of interrelated activities, and uses a variety of resources, in endeavouring to meet its objectives.”
With the many threats vultures are facing throughout southern Africa, vulture rehabilitation has become an essential part of VulPro’s work. Collecting grounded, injured, poisoned and disabled vultures around South Africa.
VulPro is able to save many vultures that would otherwise have met their untimely deaths. By doing this, VulPro is in a position to release those vultures that are able, fit and healthy and to keep those that cannot be released in captivity for breeding, research and educational purposes.
Vulture populations are, in many instances, so depleted that the rehabilitation and release of individual birds can be ecologically and genetically significant.
To learn more about Vulpro and their amazing work, click here.
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