They soar silently overhead, circle the skies and are often overlooked… We’re talking about vultures. However, this weekend, the vultures themselves are asking residents to pay attention!

Local birders and conservationists will be counting them…

Vulture Count Day, which forms part of International Vulture Awareness Day, takes place on Saturday (September 5) and residents across Ladysmith and KwaZulu-Natal are being encouraged to keep their eyes on the skies. It may seem like little more than counting birds, but every vulture spotted can help conservationists build a clearer picture of these important birds and the challenges they face.

Nature’s clean-up crew

Vultures are often labelled as nature’s clean-up crew, feeding on animal carcasses and helping to remove decaying material from the environment. Their work is far more important than it may appear. By rapidly consuming carcasses, vultures can help reduce the opportunity for disease-causing organisms to spread among wildlife and livestock.

But the birds themselves are under threat. South Africa is home to seven resident vulture species, several of which are facing serious conservation concerns. Poisoning remains one of the biggest dangers, while vultures are also killed or injured through collisions with Eskom power lines and other infrastructure. Disturbance of breeding sites, illegal killing and exposure to lead are among other threats.

For KZN – where farming areas, nature reserves and game properties stretch across large parts of the province – protecting vultures requires co-operation between conservationists, farmers, landowners and ordinary residents, says Peter Nelson of the Ladysmith Birders.

Where the public can help

Birders and residents do not need to be professional ornithologists to take part. Simply spotting a vulture and recording the sighting can contribute to the bigger conservation picture. Conservation organisations – including BirdLife South Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust and VulPro – are involved in research, monitoring and conservation efforts aimed at protecting vultures.

So, when you are outside this Saturday, take a moment to look upwards. That large bird circling high above Ladysmith may not just be passing through.

It could be a small but important piece of information in the fight to protect one of nature’s most misunderstood and most valuable clean-up crews.

See a vulture?

Keep an eye on the skies around Ladysmith and, where possible, record what you see, including the location, number of birds and time of the sighting. Sharing sightings with recognised birding or conservation organisations can help contribute to monitoring efforts.

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