A Cape vulture chick’s hatching at South Africa’s Shamwari Game Reserve on June 11 symbolizes hope for the species’ recovery efforts. Vulpro CEO Kerri Wolter calls the chick a milestone in their plan to boost vulture populations. Eggs are incubated and hatched chicks are returned to their mothers to prevent egg breakage by other vultures in enclosures. Vulpro, Africa’s sole vulture conservation group, spearheads initiatives to reverse vulture declines. The reserve recently undertook Africa’s largest vulture translocation, involving 163 vultures, assisted by experts and NGOs. Newborn vultures are fitted with tracking devices before being released. Besides breeding Cape vultures, the project plans to raise and release additional vulture species. Wolter, nicknamed the “vulture whisperer,” highlights the ongoing challenges vultures face, from habitat threats to climate-induced hardships. Despite setbacks, she finds hope in the successful hatchings, demonstrating the species’ resilience and adaptability.
Original Source: Daily Maverick
Date: 2024-06-12 18:37:40
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