It's a playful, hypothetical discussion that appeals to a wide range of people including historians, sports analysts, and environmental advocates: how would altering an element of our past impact everything else? Consider this - what if Marie Curie never stumbled upon radium, or if Edward Jenner didn't create the initial vaccinations? The list goes on.
Those speculations also encompass the natural world, with its stunning array of forms, both fascinating and occasionally peculiar.
We find delight in pandas' roundabout awkwardness. The swift movements of peregrine falcons and cheetahs captivate us, as does the wit of dolphins; meanwhile, we're awed by the majestic, unhurried strength of elephants moving together as a group.
However, what might be considered the butterfly effect of eliminating one species?
Throughout the range of studies focused on the natural world, experts like biologists, botanists, and ornithologists all stress that every species plays a part in its ecosystem, irrespective of whether it fascinates or attracts us.
When each species is taken out of its ecosystem, it creates an impact, which can be significant, even disastrous. This holds true for vultures as well.
Our human-like feelings might be puzzled by seeing these birds loudly arguing over a dead animal. However, vultures play a crucial part in keeping ecosystems balanced: they are perfectly adapted for effectively scavenging and consuming carcasses.
Animal carcasses may contain deadly illnesses such as anthrax, rabies, and botulism; however, vultures can eat them unharmed. This process stops the accumulation of organic waste, recycles nutrients back into the earth, enhances soil quality, and significantly decreases the chance of disease spreading among wild animals, farm creatures, and possibly people.
Toxic
A landscape devoid of vultures would turn into a poisonous, foul-smelling area, filled with decaying bodies and uncontrolled, possibly hazardous bacterial proliferation. In their absence, the threat of an epidemic would hang over everything.
This is concerning because out of the 11 species of African vultures, many are now classified as either endangered or critically endangered. These birds encounter numerous severe dangers: they get hurt or die from colliding with power lines and wind turbines when flying, and also suffer fatal electric shocks from perching on power lines. According to certain African myths, these scavengers are thought to possess prophetic abilities; consequently, people kill them hoping to obtain such powers.
They're also affected by human-wildlife conflicts, and poachers intentionally use poisoning to stop them from indicating the presence of illegally killed animals by converging on these carcasses. Sometimes, this leads to the death of the whole flock.
Professionals along with volunteers put in relentless efforts to combat these dangers. Educational programs assist in dispelling the myths surrounding the supposed medical advantages of vulture organs and brains.
At Vulpro’s Facilities located at Hartbeespoort in North West and at Shamwari Private Game Reserve close to Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape nurse injured vultures with great care until they recover and then release them. Vultures deemed unfit for return to the wild participate in a breeding program, with their young being subsequently released into nature.
When it comes to conservation initiatives, this stands out as a heartening victory tale. However, the future of our planet and all its inhabitants will have repercussions for every one of us due to how crucial these natural systems are to sustaining life.
Climate change is causing several effects across Africa, such as droughts, higher sea levels, and harsher weather conditions, which endanger infrastructure, ecosystems, food stability, and socio-economic advancements. This escalation leads to greater heat stress and floods, along with decreased crop production and reduced livestock efficiency.
Natural extinction rate
According to certain estimations, what was previously considered a typical extinction rate has sped up by as much as 10,000 times. In the upcoming decades, we can expect unparalleled disruptions in socioeconomics and ecology.
By conducting its own studies and partnering with various research organizations, Vulpro can contribute scientific data highlighting the critical dangers facing African vultures and outline the necessary steps for protecting these vital species.
A project led by Vulpro, the University of Pretoria, the Max Planck Institute, and the North Carolina Zoo is examining how climate change impacts African white-backed vultures within southern Africa.
The distribution of this species covers much of the northern parts of South Africa and extends into southern Africa as well.
They are perfectly adapted for their role as vultures: They can detect a meter-long carcass from almost 5 kilometers away when flying at an altitude of 3 kilometers.
However, the sharp decrease in their population over the last thirty years has resulted in these birds being classified as critically endangered, making it crucial to stop this decline. An area of their lifecycle that remains unexamined is how they interact with the surrounding climate.
Vulpro has undertaken this initiative, with PhD student Caroline Grace Hannweg investigating how changes in temperature and rainfall influence their breeding patterns, movements, foraging habits, and choices of roosting sites. Consistently clear findings indicate that these avian species face significant risks due to the impacts of climate alterations in their habitat.
Particularly at risk
Earlier studies have indicated that vultures are likely to shift their range towards the south within their habitats as temperatures persistently rise. This could pose a significant threat to Southern African populations of the African White-backed Vulture, since they have limited space to relocate farther south.
They're similarly vulnerable to harsh temperatures and heavy rain during the breeding season since their nests are located high up in tree canopies, leaving both adult birds, hatchlings, and eggs exposed to environmental conditions.
Through comprehending these key aspects of their existence within the framework of climate conditions, we can sketch out an image of what lies ahead for these avian species as their habitats keep evolving. This is crucial for their protection since it enables us to forecast how the terrain might transform down the line and consequently identify which zones must be safeguarded today to ensure their survival tomorrow.
To safeguard vultures as a species and preserve the advantages they offer, every effort should be made to protect them. This involves defending them against the aforementioned dangers and establishing what are known as vulture feeding stations: safe zones where toxin-free, poison-safe meat and remains are supplied for their nourishment and that of other scavenging animals.
Climate change implies an unpredictable future for us and those who follow. However, the loss of vultures could lead to outcomes far worse than just the disappearance of a single species. This we cannot allow and should not permit. DM
Kerri Wolter founded and serves as CEO of VulPRO; Caroline Grace Hannweg is a doctoral candidate and researcher working with VulPRO; Lynda du Plessis manages the Ford Wildlife Foundation, an organization that has backed VulPRO since 2002.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REeWvTRUpMk