(Eastern Cape, South Africa, 26 February 2025) – Conservationists at Vulpro are celebrating the sighting wild Cape Vultures on a farm near Mountain Zebra National Park, a region where vultures haven’t been seen for over 30 years. This milestone highlights Vulpro’s ongoing efforts to rescue and rehabilitate vultures threatened by poisoning, hunting, and habitat loss.
The vultures were spotted by Johan van Rensburg, a farmer near Cradock, who called Vulpro saying that he had spotted 15 Cape Vultures. Later on in the day, more arrived and he counted about 85 vultures perched on power lines.
Cape Vulture populations have steadily declined since the 1980s. Between 1992 and 2007, numbers in South Africa dropped by 60-70%, earning them a ‘threatened’ status. By 2021, estimates suggested a slight recovery, with 9,600 to 12,800 mature individuals, classifying them as ‘vulnerable.’ However, the broader ‘African Vulture Crisis’ continues, with some species suffering declines of up to 80%.
“While some vultures are returning to historical roosting sites, the rate of decline remains alarming,” says Kerri Wolter, CEO and Founder of Vulpro. “Sightings like this near Graaff-Reinet prove our work is making a difference, motivating us to keep fighting for these critical birds.”
Unique to southern Africa
Globally, 23 vulture species exist, divided into two families: Accipitridae (Old World vultures) found in Africa, Europe, and Asia, and Cathartidae (New World vultures) in the Americas. Of the 16 Old World vulture species, nine are native to Africa, but only three—White-headed, Hooded, and Cape Vultures—are exclusive to the continent. The Cape Vulture is unique to southern Africa.
In January 2025, Vulpro recorded wild vultures feeding at Shamwari Private Game Reserve for the first time, a year after relocating its rehabilitation centre there. Their return to Shamwari and other parts of the Eastern Cape signals progress in vulture recovery and highlights the importance of population supplementation.
Vulture’s vital role
Vultures play a vital ecological role by rapidly disposing of carcasses, preventing the spread of diseases like anthrax, botulism, and rabies. Without them, scavenger populations like feral dogs and rats increase, heightening the risk of disease transmission to wildlife and humans.
Since 2007, Vulpro has treated vultures suffering from injuries, poisoning, and disease, achieving a 75% survival rate for rescued birds. Their rehabilitation process restores physical strength and natural behaviors before reintroducing vultures into the wild. Research, threat mitigation, and public education also play key roles in their conservation strategy. Since 2013, Vulpro’s captive breeding program has released over 78 captive-bred vultures into the wild, significantly aiding population recovery.
“Vultures are nature’s misunderstood heroes, yet they face devastating declines due to electrocution, collisions with power lines, poisoning, trade for belief-based practices, and habitat loss,” says Wolter. “Recognizing them as vital ecological guardians is essential to reversing their fate and ensuring their survival.”
Vulpro’s success proves that with dedicated conservation efforts, even critically endangered species can recover. The recent vulture sightings in the Eastern Cape offer hope that these birds may once again thrive in their historical ranges.
