The significance of Vultures to the ecosystem is a well-recognized subject to everybody who has visited certainly one of our initiatives – spend only a margin of time with our Natural world ACT displays or managers, and also you’ll pay attention simply how necessary Vultures are.
As the continuing threats to vulture populations proceed, the collection of nesting pairs throughout the secure spaces round us decline. In an try to perceive the decline higher, annual vulture nest surveys are performed to watch the breeding luck of Vulture nesting pairs which in flip is used to measure the well being of the native vulture populations.
Breeding season for many vulture species monitored in Zululand normally lies between June and November – over which era our groups at the floor begin to be on explicit lookout for the pairs in common timber. With only one egg laid in line with vulture pair, their problem continues – to verify a success rearing and fledging in their one-and-only offspring of the breeding season.
This 12 months, the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park Natural world ACT tracking groups are absolutely ready to take at the “ground-truthing” nest survey, complementing the aerial surveys performed once a year via Ezemvelo KZN Natural world to make stronger the KZN Vulture Technique. The HiP group met with Anel, Natural world ACT Vulture Programme Supervisor, to do a little in-field workshopping to verify the group is well-equipped to habits a success vulture nest surveys this 12 months.
To do those surveys, the groups use the GPS places bought from the aerial survey, in addition to native wisdom from HiP group of workers to scout and assess the nests from the bottom. At every nest, knowledge reminiscent of Nest ID, Location, GPS bearing from the car to nest, Estimated distance from car to nest, Chook species, Tree species, Habitat sort, any anthropomorphic disturbance and its distance , Any elephant injury, Process of the particular nesting vulture, and any footage are recorded.
All of this fine-scale knowledge accrued from the quite a lot of nest websites around the breeding clusters, in the end assists in figuring out vulture breeding luck charges and doable mortality reasons. In addition they lend a hand via giving treasured perception to different necessary knowledge, which can give a contribution to deliberate analysis initiatives, reminiscent of tree variety, Elephant injury and some other doable threats.
Want our groups good fortune this season of vulture nest surveys!
Please imagine supporting the Vulture Conservation Programme HERE.