Eight vultures, including six white-backed vultures, one lappet-faced vulture and one hooded vulture that survived a mass poisoning incident last month, were recently released back into the wild after being successfully rehabilitated.
On June 16, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) Birds of Prey Programme Lowveld team, John Davies and Dr Lindy Thomson, responded to a call regarding a wildlife poisoning incident on a reserve in the Greater Kruger area.
They were on the road swiftly and arrived just before sunset at a dismal scene with one dead and two live white-backed vultures in grave condition.
The team loaded the two surviving birds into crates in the EWT’s custom-made vulture ambulance and rushed them to Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre near Hoedspruit.
Determined that there were more lives to save, Davies and Thomson returned with the ambulance at 4am the following day and, joined by SANParks rangers, honorary rangers, and Dr Joel Alves and Isabella Grunberger from WildScapes Veterinary and Conservation Services, they scoured the area for six hours, discovering and bringing more survivors back to the ambulance for treatment as they were found.
The main poisoning scene was deep in the bush, and after the vet, Alves and Davies treated each bird on-site, a team member then carried the birds 3km to the vulture ambulance.
Another six vultures were critical but still alive, while 45 vultures, a bateleur eagle, a lion and three lion cubs did not survive the poisoning.
The surviving birds were safely delivered to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, where they were treated by Dr Jess Briner and the Moholoholo clinic team and allowed to recover for two weeks before they could be returned to the wild.
Before their release on Saturday, the birds were fitted with leg rings and solar-powered GPS tracking units that will allow the EWT to monitor their movements and respond to any indication of unusual behaviours, such as immobility, for longer than normal periods.
“With the increase in wildlife poisoning throughout the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTCA) in recent years, the EWT and its donors have developed an essential, custom-made tool to support our efforts to curb the impact of disastrous poisoning events.
The EWT’s long-awaited, specially designed vulture ambulance was the brainchild of the EWT’s Dr Gareth Tate and is already contributing to the successful rescue, on-site treatment and safe transport of these wild birds whose lives hang in the balance,” EWT said.
“Arriving at the scene of a poisoning incident, experienced responders must administer first aid immediately and stabilise surviving birds. The birds then need a cool, quiet place to rest during the trip to the rehabilitation centre, which can be well over eight hours’ travel from the poisoning sites.
In some cases teams must remain overnight in the field, where the trailer becomes even more vital.”
The EWT’s vulture ambulance can transport up to 20 birds in modular, easy-to-remove crates that can be accessed without disturbing other resting birds.
The trailer includes a mobile clinic, first aid station, water, fuel, and equipment needed to rapidly and successfully rescue, stabilise, treat, and transport poisoned survivors.
“The EWT’s vulture ambulance is strategically stationed within a high-poisoning-risk area, and we hope to develop more units to service other key sites in southern Africa to help us save many more vultures.”
This world-first ambulance was made possible with donations.
To contribute to the development of additional ambulances, visit: bit.ly/3NZvKEE
Cape Times