Critically endangered lappet-faced vulture chick hatches in EC game reserve

There’s renewed hope for the critically endangered lappet-faced vulture, after a chick hatched at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape.

The species is listed as critically endangered, with only 180 breeding pairs remaining in the wild in South Africa.

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

The chick, which hatched on Heritage Day, is being closely monitored by conservation organisation Vulpro, which leads efforts to protect and breed vultures in the region.

It’s the first known lappet-faced vulture chick to hatch since April 2021, when one was born at Zoo Atlanta in the United States.

Vulpro CEO Kerri Wolter said the chick will soon be placed with surrogate parents as part of their specialised captive breeding programme.

“They are very difficult species because they are solitary breeders, so in the wild, you’re not going to find them in large numbers. In captivity, they’re very shy. They stress a lot easier than Cape’s and white backs; they’re territorial.”