Experts warn possible extinction of vultures could lead to outbreak of diseases in other animals

CAPE TOWN - Vulture experts are warning that the possible extinction of the species can lead to the outbreak of diseases in other animals.  

This comes as a conservation group, Vulpro, managed to hatch 23 vulture chicks as part of their captive breeding programme.  

Several species of birds have been listed as critically endangered, with many breeding pairs only laying one or two eggs per year.  

The CEO of Vulpro, Kerri Wolter, said a vulture’s function is to consume carcasses, as they are scavengers and not predators.  

Wolter added that their long-term goal is to help the country prevent the further decline and localised extinction of the species.  

“If animals have died from infectious diseases, it could spread to our wildlife, to our livestock, as well as affect human beings directly, and that really would come into play with poorer communities who do not have access to modern medicine.”  

She said when vultures' population numbers drop, they tend to stop breeding altogether.

“The birds that cannot be released, we then are able to utilize those, put them into a captive breeding programme, allow them to behave as close to wild birds as they possibly could - those individuals are still able to contribute through the release of their offspring.”