Endangered vulture shot with pellet gun

The male bird, which is one of the rarest raptors in South Africa, was found allegedly shot with a pellet gun in Kildare at about midday on Tuesday. Senior SPCA inspector Roland Fivaz said the vulture landed on someone’s property after being shot through the femur, Zululand Observer reported.

“The pellet pierced his intestines and exited on the top of the opposite leg. Both legs were broken in the process,” Fivaz said.

According to Fivaz, the vulture was then taken to a vet where it died. He added there were only two breeding pairs in the Empangeni area before Tuesday’s alleged incident. Fivaz and the SPCA have called on residents to report such incidents immediately.

“How long are we going to tolerate these onslaughts on our animals? […] turning a blind eye will not make this problem go away and we have to put a stop to this practice,” Fivaz said.

Last month, the University of Pretoria was investigating claims of animal cruelty after geese were reportedly injured by arrows at the school’s LC de Villiers Sports Campus. University staff reportedly saw an injured goose with an arrow through its body but failed to capture it.

A visitor to the campus alleged a security guard had told him people were asked to get rid of the geese by using crossbows. Tshwane SPCA spokesperson Korky Levanon said such an injury constituted animal cruelty and was a violation of the Animal Protection Act.

– Caxton News Service