Poachers Target Vultures for Giving them Away

Once considered the mark of death, vultures of late have become under increasing pressure from poachers in Africa and Europe who are worried about them circling above their illegal poaching camps.

The phrase “vultures circling”  implies that death is imminent for those underneath, but now illegal poachers on game reserves are worried that the circling vultures are giving away their position and leading to arrest by fed up park rangers.

In once game reserve last month, the breakup of an illegal hunting party was attributed by the canny rangers following the hungry vultures that led them straight to their camp. It has now become commonplace for illegal poachers to gun down vultures to stop them giving away their position.

Already suffering in many parts of Asia due to the veterinary drug Diclofenac in animal carcasses, vultures have been dropping in numbers over the last 10-15 years and can;t really afford another enemy.

Now that the vultures appear to be protecting the endangered, it might be time to start protecting the vultures.