The use of poison is one of the major causes for the ongoing decline in vulture populations across Africa. This was confirmed by the recent deaths of almost 1000 vultures in poisoning incidents in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent. The most recent case in South Africa resulted in the death of 55 vultures after feeding on poisoned sheep carcasses in KwaZulu Natal.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is instrumental in creating awareness of the vultures’ plight in the southern African region, and to highlight the work by the conservationists who monitor populations and implement measures to conserve vultures and their habitats.

To date, major conservation successes have been achieved and the organisation’s aim is to educate farmers on the effects of using poison on their farms which results in vulture deaths.

Andre Botha, Manager of the EWT's Birds of Prey Programme said substantial numbers of vultures are deliberately poisoned for various reasons every year. Africa’s vulture populations cannot sustain such losses and the current decline may have serious ecological and human health consequences in the longer term.

"In southern Africa alone, more than 400 vultures have been deliberately poisoned over the last two years. Poisoning seems to be particularly prevalent in certain parts of KwaZulu Natal as the use of vulture body parts are used in traditional medicine. It is estimated that, at the current rate of the illegal harvest of vultures for traditional medicine market, certain species of vultures may become extinct in the province within the next five to ten years," commented Botha.

Due to the fact that many of the allegedly poisoned birds were adult individuals of breeding age, it is likely that the massacre will affect birds as some may have lost one half of a breeding pair.

Vultures play a very important ecological role and farmers hold the future of vultures in their hands. By rapidly consuming the remains of dead animals, vultures can prevent these carcasses from acting as hosts to various diseases that may spread to livestock.

Sasol is one of the role players in the conservation of indigenous wildlife, and has partnered with the Endangered Wild Life Trust (EWT) to support vulture conservation through the Sasol Vulture Monitoring Project.

The project promotes vulture conservation amongst farming and rural communities of southern Africa through engagement, to continuously assess the status of the vulture populations, to maintain a high level of research on vultures in Southern Africa and to establish and maintain a long-term monitoring programme.

Sasol has sponsored the EWT Vulture Study Group’s Vulture Monitoring Project since 1988, which has enabled the monitoring and evaluation of vulture population trends throughout southern Africa. Data obtained through the project has led to a greater understanding of vulture biology and population trends, which has informed conservation efforts of vulture species in the region.

Richard Hughes, Sasol’s Sponsorship Manager said, “Sasol is committed to sponsoring a variety of bird-related projects. At Sasol, we aim to foster enthusiasm for the preservation of our country’s birds while supporting the activities of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Birds of Prey Programme, the Ground Hornbill project and numerous other initiatives. These are all aimed at creating enthusiasm and preservation of our precious bird resource in South Africa.”

Cape Vulture

Ends

Issued by:

Alex Anderson, Group Media Manager

Direct telephone +27 (11) 441 3295; Mobile +27 (0) 71 600 9605;

alex.anderson@sasol.com

Jacqui O’Sullivan, GM: Group Communication

Direct telephone +27 (11) 441 3252; Mobile +27 (0) 82 883 9697;

jacqui.osullivan@sasol.com