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Pelagic bird outings from Durban continue to provide good sightings. Birders were excited on 16 June 2019 when this Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross landed next to the boat and posed obligingly for photographs. This was only the fourth record of the bird off the KwaZulu-Natal coast since 2001. (See page 7) Photo: David Allan CONTENTS this is, a crime scene. This training, albeit reactive does help to limit casualties but also secures much needed evidence, should the alleged perpetrators be 2 Conservation and projects 12 Honorary Recorder's report apprehended. In addition to this, a poison response group has been established to 2 Vulture poisoning incidents rock Zululand 13 Club news and chairs’ chirps facilitate responses and resources, thereby enabling all the role players to work as 4 Eyes in the sky keep track of cranes 13 BirdLife Trogons effectively as possible. It goes without saying that this is not the proverbial silver 5 More bird pictures needed for research project 15 BirdLife KZN Midlands bullet to stop poisoning, but is one of the many arrows in our quiver in addressing 6 Atlasers urged to take up a challenge 15 BirdLife Zululand the threats that vultures currently face. Without such interventions and the 6 Atlas data improves accuracy of distribution maps 16 BirdLife Port Natal experience of the SVP, the fallout of the two recent incidents may well have been 7 Bird notes and observations 18 Activities much greater. 7 Spot the difference: Yellow-nosed Albatrosses 16 BirdLife Port Natal Just as vulture conservationists were coming to terms with these two incidents, 8 Where Mangrove Kingfishers dare to roost 21 BirdLife KZN Midlands news filtered in from Botswana of a mass poisoning in which more than 500 9 How to eat your crab and hold on to it 23 BirdLife Trogons individuals from five species were confirmed dead. Considering the movement 10 Is it in the hormones? Black-winged Kite breeding 23 Notices patterns of vultures within Southern Africa, there is a high probability that some of these individuals were in fact from South Africa. To go straight to a page, click on the number These poisoning incidents highlight a number of very important reminders: Lappet-faced Vulture P068 was The number of carcasses recovered does not always mean that that is the total tagged as a nestling in 2015 CONSERVATION AND PROJECTS extent of the devastation. Considering that the carcasses recovered during the first in Pongola Nature Reserve incident in Zululand were already exhibiting signs of severe decomposition, one Photo: Wildlife ACT Vulture poisoning incidents rock Zululand can only wonder if these were indeed the proverbial late arrivals at the incident and VULTURES are the iconic scavengers of the skies and an integral part of the ecosystem, the same system that we rely on to other individuals had already met their fate sometime earlier. Furthermore, three carcasses were located a week later and be healthy and functioning for our survival. A visit to any one of the many game reserves across Zululand and, in fact, the these birds had probably succumbed to the poisoning some time later. majority of the African continent, would not be complete without observing these majestic creatures, either soaring high Vulture conservation action requires partnerships. No one single organisation is able to solve this threat on their own. In above or devouring a carcass with consummate ease. The recent spate of poisonings within Zululand brings home the cold both of the Zululand instances, the successful response was a result of individuals from various organisations (Ezemvelo fact that vultures are under threat and, unless swift action is taken, visits to game reserves in the future may be devoid of KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, Wildlife ACT, Wild Trust, community members, private landowners and the South African these majestic species and the unintended consequences of their demise may be ours too. Police Service) working together. Without such cooperation, the effects of these incidents could have been a lot more During the course of seven days in early June 2019, the severe. It was for this exact reason that Project Vulture was born. Project Vulture is a collaborative partnership between vulture populations of Zululand were targeted by two Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, Wildlife ACT, BirdLife South Africa and the Endangered Wildlife Trust whose aim is separate poisoning incidents, resulting in the death of a to ensure that the work of the collective far exceeds that of the individual, without losing the identity of each organisation. minimum of 25 African White-backed Vultures Gyps Immediate response is vital if we are to limit casualties. In order to achieve this, members of the public need to have africanus, three Lappet-faced Vultures Torgos tracheliotos access to a single communication channel, from which responses can be managed. Project Vulture is currently exploring and one White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis. An such options, so as to avoid any misunderstandings as to who to contact should such an incident occur in the future. additional two White-backs were recovered alive and The appropriate resources are vital. Aerial support needs to be deployed as soon as possible as this can broaden the transferred for further treatment to Raptor Rescue near search area. In the Zululand instances, aerial support was provided through ZAPWING, which assisted in locating Pietermaritzburg. The immediate response of the various additional carcasses. Manpower that can respond immediately is members of conservation organisations, landowners and BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR ACTION vital, and with the necessary equipment to provide basic first aid community members to these events must be applauded and, n The poisoning of 537 vultures by elephant and crime scene management. without doubt, limited the number of further casualties. The poachers in June 2019 in Botswana was strongly Communication and profiling are key. It was very fortunate fallout of these two events will probably only be felt after the The death of the adult vultures is likely to have a long- condemned by BLI. It called on the 18th CITES that the various media avenues (print, radio and television) were current breeding season as a number of the birds killed were term impact on their breeding success Conference of the Parties (CoP) meeting taking prepared to publish these incidents, and the exposure that in fact adult birds (see picture) and probably already nesting, Photo: Wildlife ACT place in August to pass relevant policy decisions followed has once again profiled vultures within the broader or at least well established within their breeding territory. that will help to address the plight of vultures and societal context. This does not bode well for the colonies within this section of Zululand which are already diminished in comparison to other wildlife species. In conclusion, if as conservationists we are going to ensure that some 20 years ago. One of the Lappet-Faced individuals had been tagged as a nestling in 2015 in Pongola Nature Reserve https://t.co/BAV4U8vO6e vultures survive into perpetuity, we need to act now. Each small as part of the ongoing monitoring programme in KwaZulu-Natal. Re-sightings of this individual have been submitted on a n In Nigeria a project was launched in May to contribution is vital. Members of BirdLife SA can contribute regular basis over the last four years, with the most recent being in the Southern Kruger National Park in March this year. It raise awareness about the role of vultures in through the reporting of tagged individuals (directly through the is most likely that the bird had returned to its natal area to commence breeding in the not-too-distant future. Having cleaning up the environment and the need to Project Vulture webpage – www.projectvulture.org.za), survived the perilous juvenile years only to succumb to poisoning shortly before reaching breeding age is a travesty in combat their illegal trade for belief-based use. providing resources as and when appropriate or through the itself. The demise of P068 is portrayed in the photograph on page 3. https://t.co/H2BFGy9hHN sharing of articles through the various social media channels to Such poisoning incidents are, however, not new to Zululand, and the Zululand Vulture Project (ZVP) have n See also: The African Vulture Crisis help raise awareness. unfortunately had to deal with similar devastating events over the years. Various conservation interventions have been https://t.co/jJPVEOLQL9 Brent Coverdale undertaken by the ZVP to address the threat of poisoning, with the most notable activity being poisoning response Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife and Project Vulture training. Various persons have been trained in basic vulture first aid and crime scene management, as this is exactly what CONTENTS this is, a crime scene. This training, albeit reactive does help to limit casualties but also secures much needed evidence, should the alleged perpetrators be 2 Conservation and projects 12 Honorary Recorder's report apprehended. In addition to this, a poison response group has been established to 2 Vulture poisoning incidents rock Zululand 13 Club news and chairs’ chirps facilitate responses and resources, thereby enabling all the role players to work as 4 Eyes in the sky keep track of cranes 13 BirdLife Trogons effectively as possible. It goes without saying that this is not the proverbial silver 5 More bird pictures needed for research project 15 BirdLife KZN Midlands bullet to stop poisoning, but is one of the many arrows in our quiver in addressing 6 Atlasers urged to take up a challenge 15 BirdLife Zululand the threats that vultures currently face. Without such interventions and the 6 Atlas data improves accuracy of distribution maps 16 BirdLife Port Natal experience of the SVP, the fallout of the two recent incidents may well have been 7 Bird notes and observations 18 Activities much greater.

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