Aspects of the ecology and conservation of vultures in South Africa.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.

Vultures play a crucial role in ecosystems as scavengers by consuming carcasses and preventing the spread of diseases. However, vulture populations worldwide face anthropogenic threats causing drastic declines, with several species now facing extinction. In response to this, various conservation efforts have been implemented to safeguard vultures. The overarching goal of this thesis was to evaluate the effectiveness of these conservation efforts through a comprehensive examination of vulture ecology and conservation strategies. We reviewed the use of questionnaires to understand stakeholder perceptions and global threats to vultures. Additionally, public attitudes towards wildlife marking techniques and the implications for vulture conservation were explored. Furthermore, we evaluated the effectiveness of vulture rehabilitation, release and monitoring initiatives by comparing the behaviour and survival of rehabilitated and wild vultures. The systematic review of questionnaire-based vulture research revealed critical insights into stakeholder perceptions globally. The study highlighted the multitude of threats facing vultures in different regions. We found worldwide misconceptions among stakeholders, including the belief that vultures attack livestock. These misconceptions exacerbate retaliatory killings, highlighting the need for focused education initiatives to protect vultures. Across Africa, poisoning, poaching, and cultural use of vultures pose significant challenges to their conservation. The exploration of public perception of wildlife marking techniques, particularly patagial tags on vultures, revealed predominantly positive attitudes towards marking wildlife. Despite broad support for wing-tagging vultures, variations in reporting vulture sightings highlighted the importance of promoting active monitoring and awareness. Analysis of the Endangered Wildlife Trust Vulture Resighting Database proved patagial tags valuable in collecting long-term data on vulture movements. However, concerns about the durability of tags and the high number of vultures not resighted after tagging raised questions about their potential impacts on vulture survival. The study of vultures treated at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre indicated the successful reintroduction of poisoned and injured vultures into the wild despite challenges, including post-release mortality and possible behavioural impacts of the rehabilitation process. Future research should prioritise tailored conservation strategies, including stricter regulations to limit substances that are harmful to vultures and community-based initiatives for responsible carcass disposal. Increasing public awareness, citizen science projects, and advancements in tracking technology are crucial for improving conservation efforts and halting the decline of vulture populations.