In a landmark achievement for vulture conservation, 20 chicks have hatched at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape, marking a turning point in efforts to save these critically endangered birds.
The milestone comes just over a year after Vulpro , Africa's leading vulture conservation organisation, relocated 160 vultures to a purpose-built breeding facility at Shamwari.
Vultures only lay one egg per year, that's it , explains Kerri Wolter, CEO of Vulpro. With such low reproductive rates, we cannot sustain the current losses .
Cape vultures reach sexual maturity at seven years, while white-backed vultures may breed from five years, making every chick a vital step against extinction.
The world's largest African vulture breeding programmeVulpro's Captive Breeding Programme, launched in 2015, is now the largest of its kind in Africa, housing nearly 300 birds. Unlike traditional conservation efforts, Vulpro exclusively uses non-releasable vultures, many rescued from powerline collisions, to bolster wild populations without removing healthy birds from nature.