Vulture given second lease on life
After having successfully clawed her way back from the brink of death, a female Cape vulture was released.
An effort to save the vulture‘s life was initiated when a motorist found her next to the road between Lydenburg and Ohrigstad three weeks ago. She was rushed to Dr Marietjie Malan at Longtom Animal Clinic in Lydenburg, who managed to stabilise her (Steelburger/Lydenburg News Thursday January 28). The Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre was contacted that same evening and was responsible for her rehabilitation. Monday was a big day for vulture conservation when she was released. She was first ringed and tagged with a GPS tracking device fitted by the Endangered Wildlife Trust. Vultures play an extremely important role in the ecosystem, cleaning up carcasses in the field, recycling nutrients and reducing the spread of disease from such carcasses. This species is yet another one that needs careful monitoring, research and increased public awareness to protect it. “We were waiting for a gap in weather conditions to release her. The vulture experienced partial paralysis and weakness when we brought her to the centre. Her recovery was slow, but she built up her fitness in the large vulture enclosure. It is very important, especially in an endangered species like this, to do as much monitoring as possible as the data obtained can be used to help conserve this amazing species,” said Frith Douglas, manager of the Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre. The GPS showed she was already in the Brits vicinity on Tuesday morning, after her release the previous day.
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