How We are Saving Africa’s Vultures

By Vincent Otieno

Often viewed as sinister, signifying bad tidings, or even death, vultures are arguably the most misunderstood scavengers. The vital role that vultures play in the environment is irreplaceable. Acting as nature’s own clean-up crew, these endangered birds remove carcasses, which when accumulated in the environment, would have a negative impact on environmental and human health.

However, these majestic birds are now faced with extinction, with some species for the continent seeing a decline of up to 97% over the last 50 years. Today, 6 out of 11 African vulture species are threatened with extinction due to various threats. Poisoning is the major cause of vulture mortalities accounting for more than 60% of vulture deaths on the continent. In some instances, poachers lace carcasses with poison to kill vultures, as they alert authorities of poaching activities. In other cases, vultures are killed unintentionally, when herders lace carcasses with poison to kill predators in retaliatory killings, and vultures die after feeding on these carcasses. 

Belief-based use is another threat facing vultures, where vultures’ parts are used in traditional medicine and believed to cure ailments or imbue partakers with magical powers or bring good luck. In addition, energy infrastructure is responsible for vulture deaths through collisions or electrocutions. This International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD), we highlight efforts by BirdLife and Partners, working with local communities to stem vulture populations declines across the continent.

Poisoning a major threat

In East Africa, where poisoning is a leading cause of vulture mortalities, BirdLife Partners, Nature Kenya, and Nature Tanzania implemented a conservation project in the Mara-Serengeti landscape from June 2022 – March 2025). The project funded by the UK Government through Darwin Initiative aimed at employing an integrated approach to protecting wildlife from poisoning in this landscape Mara-Serengeti. One of the approaches used was promoting non-lethal Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) mitigation approaches to reduce predation of livestock. In Maasai Mara, wildlife poisoning is driven by HWC. Nature Kenya supported the construction of 20 predator proof bomas (enclosures) in this landscape to reduce livestock loss in bomas. Since the construction of these bomas, no livestock losses have been reported from families that are using these bomas, improving household livelihoods.

“Since the construction of the predator-proof boma in 2023, I now sleep peacefully at night, knowing my animals are safe and protected. I no longer worry about my livestock being killed or my wife and children being harmed while trying to fend off hyena attacks”, said Peter Leteluo, a predator proof boma beneficiary.

The success of the predator proof bomas led to their adoptions by surrounding communities with 60 households investing in these structures. In addition, predator deterrent lights were installed in 150 homes in Mara.

In Tanzania, the project focused on reducing the use of vulture parts in traditional medicine in the Makao, Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Serengeti. To this end, Nature Tanzania engaged 58 traditional healers who identified a plant-based alternative to vulture heads for their practice. These traditional healers have now become vulture champions raising awareness of the importance of vultures,  and promoting the use of the plant-based alternative.

“After finding out that it is difficult to get vultures parts in our areas, we came together and identified a plant-based alternative for preparation of traditional medicine. The plant works similarly to the vulture parts”, said Zemu Ngwesele, Chairperson of the Traditional Healers Association in Makao WMA.

Further, a Community Revolving Fund (CRF) was established to support the community in Meatu, Tanzania to run nature friendly businesses to improve livelihoods, while reducing pressure on the environment. To date, 203 community members have established nature friendly businesses, with monthly incomes increasing by 24.5%.

“The CRF helped us employ better agricultural practices on sunflower farming. We are now expecting higher yield. We have become vulture champions, raising awareness about vultures and support in monitoring vultures in our area, reporting poisoning”, said Getruda Sengwa, Secretary of Matumaini Group, one of the community groups benefitting from the CRF.

Tackling Belief Based Use

In West Africa, belief-based use is the leading cause of vulture deaths.  BirdLife and Partners have been carrying out awareness campaigns and engaging with traditional healers and local communities in Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, with the aim of changing attitudes and behaviour towards vultures and reducing demand for vulture parts used in traditional medicine.

Since 2023 more than 2,000 people including traditional healers, women’s groups, and community leaders have been engaged through focus groups discussions and one–on–one interviews. These engagements indicated that there was increasing recognition and appreciation of vultures’ ecological importance and greater openness to alternatives in traditional medicine.

Across the three countries, 279 traditional healers including 59 women were engaged in promoting plant-based alternatives instead of vulture parts. The healers highlighted the effectiveness of different parts of plants and their parts including roots, leaves, bark, fruits and flowers in treating many health problems.

“More than 1,533 tree species are used in traditional and cultural pharmacopoeia including Kapok tree, Mandingo cola, and African mahogany, among others. These have proved to be very effective alternatives to vulture parts”, said Fatou Sabaly, a traditional healer in Diaobe, Senegal

To improve community livelihoods, guinea fowl farming was introduced in two villages in Gambia as an income-generating activity, starting with 60 birds and reaching 602 by March 2025. This has been instrumental in improving food security and livelihoods for more than 60 community members. This initiative has helped reduce communities’ dependence on wildlife hunting particularly vultures for traditional medicine, by providing a sustainable source of income.

Value of Ecosystem Services provided by vultures

In early 2025, BirdLife International released a groundbreaking study marking a significant milestone in understanding the role of vultures in the ecosystem. According to the study, vultures provide ecosystem services including bequest values, sanitation and pest control services, totaling US $ 1.8 billion per year in Southern Africa, underlining the need for concerted conservation efforts.

Furter, the study calls for urgent government actions prioritizing funding for vulture conservation, strengthening transboundary collaboration, and using valuation data to impose tougher penalties on offenders.

“It was particularly interesting to interact with local communities and gain firsthand insights into their perspectives while collecting this data. Quantifying vultures’ role as nature’s cleanup strengthens the case for their conservation. This valuation will serve as a tool not only to raise awareness but ensuring that the role of vultures in the ecosystem is appreciated”, noted Mary Malasa, Programme Manager at BirdWatch Zambia

Belief-based use and lead poisoning incidences where vulture consume meat from animals killed using lead ammunition, has led to steep declines of vulture populations in the region. Consequently, BirdLife Partners in Botswana, Malawi, Zambia South Africa and Zimbabwe are carrying out education and awareness campaigns on the impact of lead on vultures and other species, in collaboration with various stakeholders.

Proposals on the use of lead-free ammunition to the local hunting and game management sector have been made in South Africa.  In Zimbabwe, BirdLife Zimbabwe is engaging traditional healers, the church, and government bodies to address this threat. In August 2025, the results of these efforts were presented at a regional belief-based use workshop attended by 12 Southern African Development Community (SADC) states, the SADC Secretariat, Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Secretariat, traditional healers from seven countries in the region and conservation NGOs.

 “Across Southern Africa, communities, governments and conservation organizations are joining forces to figure out ways of reducing lead poisoning in vultures as well as the use of their body parts in belief-base use, ensuring these guardians of the skies continue to soar for generations to come”, concluded Lovelater Sebele, Senior Vulture Conservation Officer for Southern Africa, at BirdLife International.

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