Lappet-Faced Vulture Welfare and Poisoning Crisis in Africa

The lappet-faced vulture is Africa's largest vulture, facing a catastrophic poisoning crisis linked to elephant poaching and livestock protection, causing mass mortality events affecting hundreds of birds simultaneously.

Key Facts

Lappet-faced vulture populations have declined by over 80% in parts of their African range
Deliberate poisoning of carcasses to kill vultures prevents detection of poaching by rangers
Unintentional poisoning from livestock protection poisons also causes significant mortality
A single poisoned elephant carcass can kill hundreds of vultures simultaneously
The species is now listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to rapid population decline

Welfare Considerations

Lappet-faced vulture poisoning causes agonising death from organophosphate or carbofuran poisoning, with birds dying in large numbers at bait sites. The social nature of vulture feeding means that poisoning events have outsized welfare and population impacts, with entire regional populations potentially affected by a single intentional poisoning. Survivors of sublethal poisoning may suffer neurological damage. International programmes to prosecute intentional poisoners, support ranger anti-poaching capacity, and develop non-toxic livestock protection alternatives address both the conservation and welfare dimensions of this crisis.

What You Can Do

Support the Vulture Conservation Programme Africa and anti-poaching organisations combating intentional vulture poisoning
Advocate for international funding for ranger capacity that makes carcass poisoning unnecessary
Donate to vulture monitoring programmes that enable rapid response to poisoning events
Raise awareness of vulture poisoning as a wildlife crime issue with policy makers
Engage with livestock farming communities in Africa on non-toxic predator control alternatives