For over ten years, VulPro has spearheaded vulture conservation efforts across southern Africa, tracking the breeding success and challenges facing these critically endangered birds. Vultures are particularly at risk from threats like power line collisions and poisoning, coupled with naturally slow reproductive rates, making population recovery especially challenging. VulPro’s monitoring of tree and cliff-nesting vultures provides crucial data to inform strategies that help safeguard these species.
In 2024, VulPro’s monitoring season includes key sites like Mareetsane, Dwaalboom, and Roedtan, where teams use walking, drone, and vehicle surveys to minimize disturbance while tracking nesting trends. Findings from Roedtan show a slight rise in vulture numbers, and VulPro’s expansion to new regions, such as Mpumalanga, aims to deepen understanding of lesser-known vulture species. Supported by Colchester Zoological Society donations, VulPro’s expanded scope is gathering vital insights into nesting behaviors and helping identify new breeding sites.
Colchester Zoological Society’s support plays a crucial role in VulPro’s mission, enabling monitoring advancements like GPS tracking of individual vultures. This technology allows conservationists to gather real-time data on vulture movements and habitats, which is essential for designing effective conservation actions. As VulPro continues its 2024 efforts, Colchester’s involvement is helping drive impactful research and offering hope for the recovery of these vulnerable vulture populations.
