Vulture physiology and feeding behaviour have equipped them to play a crucial role within the ecosystem, filling a niche unrivalled by any other scavenger. Vultures are responsible for keeping the ecosystem in balance by ridding the environment of decaying carcasses. Due to their uniquely strong stomach acid, vultures are able to dispose of carcasses riddled with pathogens, thus preventing the spread of diseases which could cause catastrophic declines in both wildlife and livestock  populations.

Additionally, vultures have a direct impact on maintaining the biodiversity within an ecosystem (Henriques et al, 2018). As a result of their dietary habits, they speed up the decomposition process of the carcasses on which they feed, allowing the return of nutrients to the soil. This boosts the nutrient cycle and thus the biodiversity of a system.

The Asian Vulture Crisis shed light on to the importance of vultures and the catastrophic affect a vulture population crash has on both animal and human populations alike.  Africa is no exception, and losing our vultures would result in a similar catastrophic collapse of our environment and ecosystems.