Vultures are among the least loved animals. African conservationists are trying to change that
Vultures have an image crisis. Seen as ugly and associated with death, they are among the least loved animals in the world. But conservationists in Africa are trying to change that.
Advertisement
They have launched an effort to save endangered vultures by trying to put a dollar figure on their incredible value.
A recent report by the BirdLife International conservation organisation has estimated that vultures are worth US$1.8 billion a year to certain ecosystems in southern Africa, which might surprise anyone not familiar with the clean-up, pest control and anti-poaching work performed by one of the most efficient scavengers on the planet.
'They are not up there on the pretty scale. And they are not popular. But we know they are very useful,' said Fadzai Matsvimbo, an extinction prevention coordinator at BirdLife International.
A white-headed vulture at the Johannesburg zoo in South Africa. Vultures can help clean up ecosystems and reduce the chance of disease spreading, among other benefits. Photo: AFP
The report comes at an important time for Africa's vultures; six of the 11 species found on the continent are listed as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which says vultures are highly threatened in many parts of the world. In Africa, some species have declined by nearly 90 per cent, according to Matsvimbo.
Advertisement
Conservationists hope the report will make authorities and the public more aware of the positive impact of vultures.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Standard
21 hours ago
- The Standard
Iran poised to dismiss US nuclear proposal, Iranian diplomat says
An Iranian newspaper with a cover photo of Iran, Oman and U.S. Flags, is seen in Tehran, Iran, May 11, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
Death toll in Indonesian quarry rockfall rises to 18
Death toll in Indonesian quarry rockfall rises to 18 Search and rescue operations are underway in the aftermath of a rockfall at a quarry in Cirebon. File photo: Reuters The death toll from a rockfall at a limestone quarry on Indonesia's Java island rose to 18 on Sunday, with another seven people still missing and feared dead, a military official said. Workers and heavy equipment were buried when rocks suddenly fell at the mining site in the city of Cirebon in West Java province on Friday morning. The rockfall also injured at least 12 people. "Today, we retrieved one more body, which brings the total death toll to 18 people, while seven more people are still missing," local military chief Mukhammad Yusron said. "We suspect the missing victims have already died." Rescuers have deployed excavators and rescue dogs to search for the remaining victims, Mukhammad said. He said the search operation was challenging and dangerous due to the unstable structures of the rock. "We must pay attention to the rescuers' safety because there have been more rockfalls during the operation." The local company overseeing the mine was operating legally. Still, safety standards were lacking, according to West Java governor Dedi Mulyadi, who said he had ordered its closure following the accident. "I have issued an order to my subordinates at the site. The company has been shut down permanently," he said in a statement earlier this week. Friday's incident was the second collapse at the quarry, following an incident in February but no casualties were reported then. Mining accidents are common across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago, especially in unlicensed sites where safety protocols are often ignored. (AFP)
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Hamas responds to US truce proposal, says will free 10 living hostages as part of deal
Hamas on Saturday said it had responded to a ceasefire proposal from US envoy Steve Witkoff, saying 10 living hostages would be freed from Gaza as part of the deal. Advertisement The Palestinian militant group did not explicitly say it had accepted the version of the proposal it received on Thursday, which reportedly included a provision for the release of 10 living hostages. Hamas noted that its response had been made out of a 'sense of responsibility towards our people and their suffering'. The White House previously said the proposal had been approved in advance by Israel, which on Friday warned Hamas to either accept the deal and free the hostages 'or be annihilated'. Hamas said in a statement on Friday that it had 'submitted its response to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's latest proposal to the mediating parties'. Advertisement 'As part of this agreement, 10 living prisoners of the occupation held by the resistance will be released, in addition to the return of 18 bodies, in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners,' it added.
