Vultures are not dirty animals. They are fascinating species that serve a crucial purpose in the ecosystem as efficient waste management agents. Even though other species are doing the same task, the vulture does it better, faster and more efficiently than any other. Pathogens from carrions eaten by the vultures do not survive through the birds’ digestive tracts so there is no risk of transmitting deadly diseases through droppings like other scavengers.
Sadly though, the population of the vultures are rapidly reducing in Nigeria. Of the seven species of vulture found in the country, five are classified as vulnerable, but only one can be easily seen in the wild.
Vultures play a vital role in disease reduction in the ecosystem
The situation is dire for these specialist cleaners of the ecosystem. This is the conclusion of experts at the World Vulture Day webinar organized by the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) to mark the event this year.
According to Dr Stella Egbe-Iruoje, the significance of the decline of this species population is the creation of a gap in the ecological role played by the species in maintaining a balance in the ecosystem. She noted that some human activities which are carried out innocently cost the country’s vulture population severely.
“One example is from bioaccumulation of toxic substances from pesticides, herbicides and other agricultural chemicals,” Egbe-Iruoje said. “These substances getting into the vulture’s diet affect the quality of their eggs. They make the eggshell weak and so the eggs break before they are hatched, leading to further decline in the species population.”
if the role played by the vulture in environmental cleanup were to be paid for, the cost will run into billions. Source: webinar presentation
She mentioned that anthropogenic activities leading to habitat loss and sometimes deliberate poisoning of the species are also responsible for the decrease in population. She called on communities to see the vulture as a vital part of a functional ecosystem instead of stigmatizing it.
Also speaking at the event, Mr Adewale Awoyemi, head of forest centre, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) illustrated that if the role played by the vulture in environmental cleanup were to be paid for, the cost will run into billions.
Awoyemi joined the program host, Emmanuel Olabode and NCF Southwest Zonal Coordinator, Adebayo Memudu to call on communities, governments, conservationists, nature lovers and all other enthusiasts to come to the aid of the vultures to avoid severe public health and other consequences.
Vultures are not just birds. They are active players in the seamless flow of the cycle of life. They are the unpaid cleaners of bio-debris who diligently perform their natural task of preventing diseases from spreading through dead animal. If there were no vultures, humans would constantly be plagued with outbreaks of diseases which may potentially emanated from decomposing carcasses. And if humans were to pay for the services of the vulture, the bills would be in billions. Yet, the vultures are under severe threat. Currently in Nigeria and some other parts of Africa, vultures are killed in volts daily and this must stop.
Vulture population is nearing total collapse. From the millions of individual birds a little over a decade ago, the population has dropped to a few hundreds. There are about 30 vulture species throughout the world. Eleven of these species are found in Africa while six are native to Nigeria. Of the 11 in Africa, eight are threatened while five of the six species in Nigeria are on the brink of extinction. Whether we realize it or not there is a state of emergency in this regard. These birds who have, by their mere act of feeding saved the government huge sums of money by preventing outbreak of diseases such as botulism and anthrax are now ending up as mere game, in traditional medicine markets, in constant conflicts with man over habitat and just dead from accidental poisoning.
Naturally, vultures shouldn’t be in this acute situation. According to many traditional folklores, vulture are sacred birds or messengers of the gods helping to take sacrifices to the heavens. For example, the Yorubas of West Africa have it in their oral poetry and incantations that “…akìí pa igún, akìí jẹ́ igún, akìí fi ẹyẹ igún bọ orí”. Meaning “…we don’t kill the vulture, we don’t eat the vulture and we don’t use the vulture for sacrifice. It is like that in many other cultures even beyond Africa. Sadly, Ibadan and Ikare are among the three hubs of vulture sales in Nigeria, joined by Kano, according to a 2017 survey by NCF. The same features that make the popular raptors sacred and protected seem to be working against them in other climes. There are many reports of vulture parts seen in voodoo markets and in possession of traditional healers and sorcerers. Recently a vulture and its owner was “arrested” by police in Maiha, Adamawa state over beliefs that it was associated with ill-luck. The woman who held the vulture captive on the other hand, claimed that it was for protection of her husband who was in jail. Thankfully, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation stepped in to make sure that the vulture is not returned to its tormentor.
Apart from belief related killings vultures are declining in numbers through mass poisoning. It has been found out that residues of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac (sold under several trade names) for the treatment of pains in cattle is one of the leading causes of mass poisoning of vultures. In a bid to prevent sick cows from dying for example, herdsmen usually use this drugs to treat their animals during the long nomadic grazing movements. If the animal eventually dies, and the scavengers feed on it, they die en masse. Also, vultures are common sights in abattoirs. When vultures feed on diclofenac-tainted leftovers from the slaughterhouse, it is usually their last meal. To prevent unintentional mass killings like this, a thorough orientation must given to all in the meat production value chain. Diclofenac, originally developed for human use only, is cheap and very effective for cattle farmers, so the knee-jerk solution of banning the drug may be hard to implement. Rather finding a safe substitute and ensuring it is adopted swiftly by cattle farmers is a viable option.
A multidisciplinary team of expert must work together to end this killings before the consequences become obvious. The Agricultural Extension apparatus of the nation must be called upon to meet this challenge. Animal science associations, cattle rearers associations, the National Orientation agency, Center for Disease Control, and the Environment ministry must join hands with NGOs such as NCF, Birdlife International, A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) among others that have taken it upon themselves to preserve and be the voice of these voiceless birds.
A verification of what ailments vulture parts are believed to cure should also be made and empirical proofs that vulture parts does nothing to treat such disease should be presented. Religion leaders need to assure their followers that the vulture is another unique creature in the universe just like any other and that they are not demons or evil spirits. This way, the public health epidemic waiting to happen if vultures go extinct would be prevented. The government also needs to set up an apparatus that sees to resolving conflicts between wildlife and humans.
There is an ongoing campaign to save the vultures. Everyone has a role to play. Learn facts about the vultures to day and tell it to others. You never can tell, one who needs to know may just be in your network.
