Protecting South Africa’s Vultures through Long-Term Monitoring
Wildlife ACT, in collaboration with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, The Bateleurs and pilot Martin Schulze, recently conducted a Vulture aerial survey across key areas of Zululand, which forms part of the key activities of the Zululand Vulture Project. This helicopter survey takes place every five years, and was carried out at the end of August 2025, to complement Ezemvelo’s fixed-wing aeroplane and Wildlife ACT’s ground-truthing annual nest surveys.
Vultures are among the most threatened bird groups in the world, with several species in South Africa now listed as Critically Endangered. Despite their vital ecological role in cleaning up carcasses and preventing the spread of disease, they continue to face serious pressures, from poisoning and collisions with power lines to habitat loss and the illegal trade in body parts. Against this backdrop, consistent, long-term monitoring is essential. It provides the data needed to understand population trends, identify new breeding colonies, and guide targeted conservation strategies that can turn the tide for these species.
The 2025 Aerial Survey Operation
Flying an Alouette III helicopter, the team completed 18 hours of flight paths across important breeding sites in the Zululand region. The operation focused on assessing the current status of Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures, whilst also surveying emerging African White-backed Vulture colonies with increased intensity.
This helicopter survey forms part of a five-year monitoring cycle, designed to complement Ezemvelo’s fixed-wing aeroplane surveys and Wildlife ACT’s annual ground-truthing nest monitoring. By combining these approaches, conservationists are able to build a far more accurate picture of Vulture populations over time. Fixed-wing aircraft cover large landscapes efficiently, while helicopters allow for closer inspection of cliff faces and nesting trees, and ground surveys provide vital verification of active nests. Together, this multi-layered approach ensures that no critical details are missed.
Survey Species Focus: Lappet-faced, White-headed and African White-backed Vultures
The 2025 survey placed particular emphasis on three Vulture species, each with distinct statuses and ecological roles:
- Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) – Endangered
This is the largest and most powerful of South Africa’s Vultures. Weighing up to 9 kg and standing about 110 cm tall, it claims dominance at carcasses even when outnumbered by smaller Vultures. Its population within KwaZulu-Natal is extremely small, with estimates of only 2 to 6 nests in the province. - White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis) – Critically Endangered / Functionally Extinct locally
Once present in KZN, this species is now considered to be functionally extinct in that region as of around 2021. Its broader regional population remains Critically Endangered. - African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) – Critically Endangered
Historically widespread and common, the species has declined sharply. In KZN around 2016, estimates suggested approximately 300 breeding pairs remained. The species is now listed as Critically Endangered, consistent with rapid declines across the region.
Together, these three species are central indicators of ecosystem health. Though they differ in size, behaviour and current abundance, their roles as scavengers help prevent the spread of disease and support nutrient recycling. These benefits reach beyond wilderness areas and into community health and landscape resilience.
Threats Facing Vultures
Vultures are among the most threatened groups of birds in the world, and populations across southern Africa have declined at alarming rates. Several species in Zululand, including the Lappet-faced Vulture, White-headed Vulture and African White-backed Vulture, are now classified as Critically Endangered. Their survival is challenged by a combination of human-driven pressures and natural limitations that make recovery especially difficult.
The most significant threat is poisoning. Whether deliberate or unintentional, poisoning events have devastating consequences, often killing dozens of Vultures at a single site. In some cases, carcasses are deliberately laced with poison to supply the illegal trade in Vulture body parts for belief-based practices. In others, poison is used to target carnivores such as Lions or Hyaenas, but scavenging Vultures become the unintended victims. These incidents remain the leading cause of Vulture mortality in KwaZulu-Natal and have been responsible for some of the largest declines recorded in the province.
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Collisions and electrocutions on power lines also contribute significantly to mortality. Vultures are wide-ranging birds that soar across vast landscapes in search of food, and this exposes them to high-risk infrastructure. When key flight paths cross areas with poorly designed or unmarked power lines, the impact on Vulture populations can be severe.
Loss of suitable nesting habitat further reduces breeding opportunities. Many Vultures depend on large, undisturbed trees or remote cliff faces to raise their young. Expanding agriculture, logging and human disturbance continue to erode the availability of these safe nesting sites. Combined with the species’ naturally slow reproductive rates — with most pairs producing only a single chick each year — this loss of breeding habitat creates a bottleneck for recovery.
These threats extend beyond the survival of the species themselves. Without Vultures, carcasses remain in the landscape for longer periods, creating conditions for the spread of diseases that can affect livestock, wildlife and even people. Protecting Vultures is therefore not only a matter of conserving biodiversity, but also of safeguarding ecosystem health and human well-being.
Preliminary Results from the 2025 Aerial Survey
Preliminary results are encouraging. The survey recorded a slight increase in Lappet-faced Vulture nests in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park compared to the previous helicopter survey, while growth was also recorded in certain African White-backed Vulture colonies. In addition, an exciting discovery was made, the details of which will be shared soon, so readers are encouraged to watch this space for updates.
These early findings provide an important signal of progress, showing that intensive conservation efforts and long-term monitoring are beginning to have an impact. While the increases are modest, they offer hope for species that face immense pressures and highlight the importance of continuing to track and support these populations with consistency and care.
Collaboration Behind the Survey
The survey was expertly coordinated by Chris Kelly and Anel Swart of Wildlife ACT and Brent Coverdale of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, with essential logistical and fuel support from The Bateleurs and Shiptech. We extend our gratitude to all partners involved, particularly to The Bateleurs and pilot Martin Schulze, whose contribution was central to the success of this operation, and to the various Protected Area Managers and landowners who allowed us to conduct low-level surveys of their properties.
This collaboration reflects the shared commitment needed to protect Vultures in South Africa. From planning safe flight paths to securing the permissions required to access sensitive areas, each partner played a vital role in ensuring the survey was completed safely and effectively. It is this spirit of cooperation that allows conservation teams to carry out complex monitoring operations and gather the data essential for informed decision-making.
Why This Data Matters
The data captured during the Zululand Vulture aerial survey will now be carefully analysed and compared with previous surveys. This information plays a critical role in guiding conservation strategies for these Endangered and Critically Endangered species. By documenting nest numbers, tracking breeding success and identifying new colonies, conservation teams are able to measure population trends with greater accuracy and respond quickly to emerging threats.
The combination of helicopter surveys, fixed-wing aircraft monitoring by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and Wildlife ACT’s annual ground-truthing nest surveys provides a layered, reliable dataset. The success of the 2025 survey underscores the importance of persistence and long-term planning. Effective conservation does not rely on a single snapshot in time, but on consistent monitoring that reveals whether interventions are working and where new action is needed.
How Partnerships Drive Vulture Conservation Success in Zululand
Wildlife ACT extends sincere thanks to Briandez Legacy Trust and Happy Hollow Foundation for their vital support of the Vulture Conservation Programme. Their contributions ensure that long-term monitoring and protection of these Endangered species can continue across Zululand’s protected areas.
Additional gratitude is due to the Ford Wildlife Foundation, whose ongoing support allows Wildlife ACT’s field teams to travel to rugged and remote locations. Access to these areas is essential for gathering accurate data, responding to threats, and ensuring that even the most isolated Vulture colonies are included in conservation efforts.
These partnerships illustrate how targeted funding and logistical support directly translate into conservation impact. Every safe flight, every litre of fuel, and every kilometre travelled by the monitoring teams is made possible by this collective commitment to securing a future for Vultures in South Africa.
