With the severe population declines of vultures over the past three decades, government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure that vulture conservation remains a national priority.
According to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, this year alone, two mass poisoning incidents resulted in the deaths of hundreds of vultures.
Environmental consequences
“If these events continue unchecked, the loss of thousands of vultures could have devastating environmental and public health consequences,” the Minister said on Monday.
He therefore called on South Africans to play an active role in protecting these critically important birds.
The Minister’s remarks comes ahead of the Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP9) to the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), which will take place in November 2025.
Vultures, once widespread across Africa, have suffered severe population declines over the past three decades.
Many vultures die after feeding on carcasses laced with poison, amongst other threats, often left by poachers targeting elephants or rhinos, or by communities involved in human-wildlife conflict.
This has far-reaching consequences as carcasses left to rot increase the risk of disease outbreaks, poor sanitation around rural settlements, rising stray dog populations, and greater incidences of human injuries and rabies fatalities.
Nine vulture species in South Africa
South Africa is home to nine vulture species, seven of which have established breeding populations, and these vulture populations continue to face varying degrees of threats of extinction.
As part of government’s plan to protect vultures, the National Multi-Species Vulture Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) was published on 18 March 2024.
The plan is now being implemented through the National Vulture Task Force (NVTF) and its subcommittees.
“The desired state is to see all vultures fulfilling their essential ecosystem services through the achievement of a safe and secure environment in which all the components of a vulture’s life cycle are fulfilled.
“This will be achieved through the reduction of the key threats facing the species (intentional and unintentional poisoning, interactions with energy infrastructure, habitat change), the improvement of stakeholder involvement, improving knowledge gaps and developing best practice guidelines for ex situ, or off-site, conservation action,” the Minister said.
Vulture Conservation Strategy
Through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), South Africa participated in a regional workshop convened by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and BirdLife International and the rest of the region in commemorating International Vulture Awareness Day in September.
It was at this workshop that the SADC Vulture Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2025-2035) was also launched.
The strategy and plan seeks to mobilise collective action among the 12 SADC vulture range states to address these complexities through coordinated conservation efforts, while emphasising stakeholder engagement and data-driven decision-making.
The workshop not only highlighted the ongoing threats to vultures, including poisoning, collisions, and electrocutions from energy infrastructure, and habitat loss; but also the opportunities for internal and cross border collaboration and cooperation to implement targeted actions, raise awareness, and strengthen legislation to secure the future of vultures.
“South Africa is committed to the implementation of the SADC Vulture Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2025-2035). Without decisive and coordinated action, several vulture species face the very real threat of extinction,” George said.
