The first Saturday in September each year is International Vulture Awareness Day, and we have only great things to say about these magnificent birds.
Dr Margie and her team at Umgeni Veterinary Clinic have been working very closely with FreeMe Wildlife for a number of years, often treating vultures.
Vultures play an invaluable part within our fragile ecosystem. They are one of the world’s most efficient clean-up crews.
Their value has been widely underestimated and is largely unappreciated.
If vultures ever went extinct, it is feared the devastating loss will lead to the spread of deadly old and new diseases, including plague, anthrax, and rabies.
In reality, vultures serve us in ways that we are only beginning to understand. One being their remarkable hand in keeping ecosystems and pathogens in check.
Some major threats to these creatures include habitat loss and malicious poisoning. Vultures are poisoned and hacked to pieces for traditional medicine and trade.
In the most rural areas of South Africa, and many other countries, a large proportion of humans are reliant on nature to provide most of their basic needs. Due to their heavy dependence on nature, local communities benefit hugely from the role of vultures to protect them.
If you come across an injured vulture, or any wildlife for that matter, phone a veterinary clinic, phone FreeMe, get into contact with the Endangered Wildlife Trust or phone park rangers or Nature Conservation. And if you cannot help them, just don't harm them or take them into your home without speaking to professionals first.
These birds are too valuable to lose to human greed and misinformation.
More from Umgeni Vet Clinic