Young ‘greenies’ learn about vultures
Conservationists are promoting awareness of the threats facing these raptors.
THE Eco-Ed Kids group recently learned all about nature’s clean-up squad at a talk on ‘magnificent vultures’, at Clearwater near Port Edward.
The talk was presented by Oribi Vulture Viewing Hide volunteer Melanie Smith.
The Eco-Ed project, based in the Umtamvuna area, is aimed at green-minded youngsters aged between five and 13.
The children who attended the talk learnt how vultures played a vital role as dustmen in our environment, cleaning up rotting carcasses and disposing of nasty bacteria.
After plenty more fascinating vulture facts and figures the children coloured in vulture pictures and handled vulture feathers.
Vulture hide project co-ordinator Andy Ruffle said it was extremely important to make our future conservationists aware of the dire threats facing these raptors.
In the last decade some African vulture species had declined by an astonishing 96 percent. We needed to encourage young people to continue the fight to save these enigmatic, but often misunderstood, birds. “The loss of vultures in our African skies has the potential for devastating effects,” he said.
According to Andy, India had lost 99 per cent of its vultures during the 1990s. Most the birds had died from poisoning caused by eating dead livestock that had been dosed with anti-inflammatory drugs.
The fatalities had caused an increase in rabies and other diseases and had cost the Indian government an estimated US$34-billion.
“This is something we do not want to see in Africa,” he said.
African vultures faced a multitude of threats. Secondary poisoning, collision with and electrocution from power lines and the muti trade were the main causes for the declines we were seeing in South Africa. Andy pointed out that all of these issues could be addressed, so raising awareness of the vultures’ plight was a major weapon in the fight to save them.
“This is where projects such as the Oribi Vulture Viewing Hide and Eco-Ed Kids are helping,” he said.
The Oribi Vulture Viewing Hide welcomes school and eco-club groups. For more details contact Andy at 072 8933794 or email bookings.vulturehide@yahoo.co.za. For more details about the Eco-Ed Kids contact Debbie King at 072 5067208.
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