Saving Africa's Vultures

Working Towards Preventing Extinction of African Vultures

Saving Africa's Vultures

Vulpro – working towards preventing the extinction of African Vultures

Saving Africa's Vultures

Since 2007, VulPro has been changing the way the world sees vultures. We live to see them overcome the threats of powerlines, poison, and indifference. As a non-profit organisation, we’re devoted to safeguarding Africa’s vulture species and the ecosystems they sustain. Through our rescue, rehabilitation, and release programmes, we provide a lifeline to vultures that are injured, poisoned, or disabled.

VulPro is the Africa’s only organisation solely focused on vultures. Operating across southern Africa, we have facilities in Hartbeespoort, just north of Johannesburg, and the Eastern Cape, on the renowned Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

From these locations, VulPro’s impact extends across Africa. We work with local communities, researchers, and conservation organisations to protect vulture populations and combat the many threats they face.

Our innovative captive breeding initiatives strengthen wild populations, ensuring a future for these critically endangered birds. But saving vultures is just the beginning. At VulPro, we tackle the root causes of their decline through cutting-edge research, strategic partnerships, and impactful public education, driving lasting change. Our mission is to advance knowledge, inspire action, and lead innovation in vulture conservation, securing a world where these iconic birds thrive.

At VulPro, we adopt a holistic approach to conservation, integrating both in-situ and ex-situ management strategies.

Initially established as a rehabilitation facility, VulPro recognises the critical importance of each individual vulture for the species’ survival. Our rehabilitation efforts remain a cornerstone of our work, with all released vultures now contributing to valuable research through the use of coloured leg bands and tracking devices.

Non-releasable vultures are integral to our captive breeding programme. Their offspring are used in release studies to assess their adaptation and survival in the wild. We employ GPS transmitters to monitor the survival and foraging patterns of many released birds, providing crucial insights into their movement, preferred habitats, and behaviour, including key breeding and roosting sites.

Annually, we survey wild populations at breeding sites and maintain a re-sighting database using camera traps, photographs, and public reports. This data allows us to track both wild and rehabilitated vultures, as well as ex-captive bred individuals, beyond the lifespan of their transmitters. Our field presence enhances local landowner engagement, raising awareness about the plight of African vultures.

Our conservation efforts reveal the impact of anthropogenic changes on the environment, helping us identify threats and implement effective mitigation strategies. We bridge in-situ and ex-situ conservation through scientific and veterinary research, addressing issues such as disease, threats, and toxicology. VulPro’s comprehensive conservation approach is pioneering, demonstrating how each bird contributes to the survival of wild populations.

Our initiatives have achieved a 75% survival rate for released rehabilitated vultures, though we have faced challenges with some captive-bred releases. We continuously strive to improve our methods and aim to expand our efforts to regions where vultures have become scarce or extinct. Ensuring that vultures are not forgotten is crucial, as reintroducing a species is far more challenging than supplementing an existing population, no matter how small.

Each individual counts, as each individual saved and released back into the wild, contributes to saving wild vulture populations

KERRI WOLTER, FOUNDER

On-Site and Off-Site Conservation Strategies

At VulPro, we employ both on-site (in-situ) and off-site (ex-situ) management strategies to achieve our conservation goals. On-site conservation focuses on protecting vultures in their natural habitats, involving activities such as monitoring wild populations, identifying and mitigating threats, and engaging local communities to foster coexistence. Off-site conservation involves managing vultures outside their natural habitats, which includes rehabilitation efforts and captive breeding programmes. These strategies work hand in hand, each complementing the other, to maximise our impact on vulture conservation.

Vulpro Rehabilitation

VulPro collects injured vultures from all over South Africa.

Captive Breeding Programme

VulPro has spearheaded ex-situ conservation breeding of African Vulture species.

Scientific Research

Education is an important tool, we interact and communicate with farmers, landowners and communities.

Community Engagement

VulPro has spearheaded ex-situ conservation breeding of African Vulture species.

Rehabilitation Process

VulPro’s rehabilitation process is meticulous and tailored to the needs of each vulture. Our team provides comprehensive medical care, including treatment for injuries, diseases, and poisoning. Once a vulture is stabilised, we focus on its physical and behavioural rehabilitation to prepare it for a successful return to the wild. Criteria for release are stringent, ensuring that only fully recovered and self-sufficient vultures are reintroduced. Each released vulture is equipped with tracking devices or coloured leg bands to contribute to ongoing research.

Captive Breeding Programme

Our captive breeding programme is a cornerstone of our conservation efforts. We manage non-releasable vultures within a controlled environment, where they contribute to the production of offspring that can be studied and eventually released into the wild. This programme aims to bolster vulture populations and provide critical insights into their breeding behaviours. Successes include the release of over 40 captive-bred vultures in the past 12 years, demonstrating the programme’s efficacy.

Scientific Research

VulPro’s scientific research is at the forefront of vulture conservation. We conduct studies on various aspects of vulture biology and ecology, including disease dynamics, toxicology, and behavioural patterns. Our research is crucial for understanding the threats vultures face and developing targeted interventions. For example, our studies have revealed key insights into vulture movement patterns and habitat use, which inform our conservation strategies.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is integral to our approach. We work closely with local landowners, farmers, and communities to raise awareness of the importance of vultures and the threats they face. By fostering positive relationships and providing educational resources, we aim to enhance local support for vulture conservation and encourage protective practices. Our increased field presence has significantly improved local engagement and awareness.

No. of vultures
admitted to VulPro

1500 +

vultures released
from our rehab programme

400 +

Total vultures released (including captive bred)

% 50

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Challenges and Solutions

Conservation is a complex journey, with vultures facing numerous threats, including habitat loss, electrocutions, collisions with power lines, and human-wildlife conflict. VulPro addresses these challenges through innovative approaches such as habitat restoration initiatives, strategic partnerships with landowners, and public awareness programmes. By fostering collaboration with local stakeholders and employing adaptive strategies, we remain at the forefront of vulture conservation, tackling current threats while preparing for future challenges.

Future Goals and Expansion

Looking ahead, VulPro is dedicated to expanding our conservation efforts into regions where vultures are in decline or have disappeared. We aim to extend our work into additional provinces, locations and countries, broadening our impact and contributing to global vulture conservation initiatives. Our vision is to reintroduce vultures to areas where they have become scarce and to ensure these vital birds are never forgotten.

Through a combination of rigorous scientific research, dedicated conservation efforts, and meaningful community engagement, VulPro is committed to creating a sustainable future for Africa’s vultures. Each bird plays a crucial role in this mission, and together, we are making a lasting difference in safeguarding these magnificent creatures.

Mission statement

VulPro is dedicated to the holistic conservation of Africa’s vulture populations, aiming to ensure the survival and thriving of these vital scavengers. Our mission is to safeguard vultures through comprehensive, science-driven strategies that address both immediate and long-term threats. Our vision is a future where healthy vulture populations contribute to balanced ecosystems across Africa.