The Agency of the National Parks of South Africa describes poisoning as “one of the most serious” observed in southern Africa “to date.” More than 120 vultures of endangered species died in the famous Kruger Park, the largest National Park in South Africa, after having ingested the poisoned remains of an elephant, presumably used as a bait by poachers, announced this Thursday, May 8.
“The scope of the disaster is surprising: 123 vultures were found dead on the site,” said a common press release with the Wildlife Trust Foundation in danger of extinction. This massive poisoning has affected African vultures, limit vultures and an Orico vulture, species considered in the disappearance process and even critical danger of extinction.
More than 80 values stopped
The body of the Pachyderm had been imbued with highly toxic pesticides. “This horrible incident is part of a larger crisis that decreases in southern Africa: the increasing use of poisons for poaching of wild species. The poacher hunters are using more and more agricultural toxins to attack high value species,” said Saint Parks and Trust of wildlife in danger of extinction.
This method is increasingly fashionable to aim in particular lions, whose remains have a great demand for its use in traditional medicine. Park and EWT teams also rescued 84 vultures, which sometimes were also victims of lead poisoning, used in ammunition.
If you have not participated in the rescue, the organization of the conservation of the precise vulpro vultures To Associated Press That this poisoning reaches the beginning of the reproduction season and that many other birds that have not been found on the site could still be affected.
The most serious poisoning case since 2019
This is the most serious case of poisoning since 2019, when more than 500 vultures in danger of extinction died in Botswana in similar circumstances, said Gareth Tate, head of the Ewt Raptor program, to the AFP.
“There is a massive increase in the poaching of lions, for their remains, whose vultures are sometimes collateral victims,” said Gareth Tate.
In some cases, these birds are “deliberately attacked” by poachers, their presence that can reveal the location of other killed animals, according to him.
Source: BFM TV
