Over 100 vultures killed in suspected poisoning in Kruger Park

Over 100 vultures and a hyena have died after feeding on a buffalo carcass near Punda Maria in the Kruger National Park.

City Press reports the grim discovery was made on Thursday near the park fence bordering a village.

SANParks said a further 20 vultures were discovered at the poisoning scene and were in a bad condition.

“Rangers on patrol discovered the carcass of a buffalo, which appeared to have been laced with poison. They also found over 100 dead vultures and a dead hyena likely to have fed off the carcass.”

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With the assistance of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), these birds were rushed to Shingwedzi and Moholoholo rehabilitation centres for treatment.

Kruger National Park director Gareth Coleman said the reserve is distraught by the discovery.

 “This reprehensible act emphasizes once again the ever-present danger of poisoning by unscrupulous people. We cannot afford to abandon our guards and we are calling on law enforcement agencies outside the park to act quickly to arrest the perpetrators.”

The scene has been cordoned off for further investigation and the carcasses have been burnt to ensure that there are no further poisonings

Ewt on its website says South Africa needs to reduce the imminent and real risk of extinction in African vultures through effective intervention and focus on the most significant threat facing these birds, which is wildlife poisoning.

African vultures have declined drastically over the last 30 years to the level where five species are currently listed as critically endangered.

It says poisoning in its various forms is the most significant threat to vultures in Africa and impacts other wildlife across the continent.

“The activities of Vultures for Africa aim to implement specific actions to reduce the impact of wildlife poisoning, to facilitate the collection of quantitative data on vulture populations in identified gap areas within the MsAP range,” EWT said

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