Research institute, NewLife to restore vulture population in Africa, M’East
By Njadvara MUSA, Damaturu
The Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (LORI) has patterned the Egyptian Vulture NewLife project to restore the population of vultures.
According to the Institute, the restoration of vultures, are to be implemented in EU countries, Middle East and 14 African countries, including Nigeria and Egypt.
Declaring the vultures restoration workshop open, yesterday (Friday), in Nguru, Yobe State, the project manager, Nguru, Hadejia Wetland Conservation (NHWEC) project, Harry Hahson disclosed: “The Egyptian Vulture New LIFE project is one of the most ambitious ever vulture conservation initiatives in Africa.”
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He said that vultures are natural cleaners of the environment, as they feed on carrions
Hahson said that stabilizing the Balkan population of Egyptian vulture in Bulgaria and Greece is a pivotal prerequisite to secure the “species and survival of vultures” across the globe.
He added that the restoration and protection of vultures could be achieved through urgent conservation measures.
Besides, he said: “The conservation measures, are to eliminate major threats to the breeding grounds of vultures and flyways in the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle East.”
According to him, the workshop focusses on vulture poisoning, caused by the wrongful use of drugs in the treatment of livestock in communities.
He lamented that the diagnosis and treatments of livestock diseases are carried out by untrained veterinary doctors in most of the African countries.
He noted that the participants are drawn from veterinary clinics and livestock department, Yobe State Ministry of Agriculture, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Nigeria (MACBAN), veterinary drug dealers and association.
“They can be easily poisoned through drug contaminated carcasses,” he warned, stating that vultures are long-distance migratory birds among EU species.
He said that the distribution range extends throughout Euro-Asia and Africa, but they are increasingly threatened by negative human activities.
The rapid decline in vulture population in the last two decades has led to its re-listing in the IUCN Red List as ‘endangered’ at the EU and global levels.
“Participants were engaged on questionnaires to assess their knowledge on vulture conservation and protective nature,” he said, adding that these include their association and general attitude to vultures and participants’ behavioral practices regarding Egyptian vultures.
He said the workshop also provided an opportunity to assess participants’ knowledge of birds, particularly the vultures that are extinctions.
