Wildlife

Vulture Conservation and Welfare

Vultures face some of the most severe population declines of any bird group, driven by poisoning, lead, and habitat loss.

Key Facts

Some African vulture species have declined by over 90% in 50 years
Poisoning — including targeted and incidental poisoning — is the primary mortality cause
Lead poisoning from bullet fragments in carcasses kills condors and other scavengers
Vultures provide essential ecosystem services preventing disease spread from carcasses

Welfare Considerations

Vultures are flagship victims of the poisoning crisis in wildlife — deliberately poisoned to prevent them revealing poaching locations, incidentally poisoned by veterinary drugs like diclofenac, and killed by lead from hunting ammunition. Poisoning causes prolonged, agonizing deaths in these long-lived, slow-reproducing birds. Their loss has cascade effects on ecosystem health and disease spread.

What You Can Do

Support a switch to non-lead ammunition for hunting — it protects vultures and human health
Advocate for veterinary bans on diclofenac in wildlife-accessible contexts
Support anti-poaching programs that reduce deliberate vulture poisoning
Learn about vulture ecology and their critical role in disease prevention