29 Jun 2015

 Vultures, the natural cleaners of the environment, are dying at an alarming rate and immediate action is needed to remedy the situation.

Bird Life Botswana official, Mr Motshereganyi Kootsositse said vultures numbers were declining at a rate of about 90 per cent annually in Africa, and that Botswana was not an exception.

Addressing a council meeting recently, Mr Kootsositse said the five species of vultures found in Botswana were all threatened and that most were  poisoned.

He said in some instances the poisoning was done by farmers who poison carcasses while others were killed by poachers as they hover over their poached animals.

Mr Kootsositse appealed to local authorities to help salvage vultures adding that they played a significant role in the ecosystem.

He added that bird tourism was another important sector and a viable opportunity for Batswana to venture into bird watching businesses.

Commenting, Chobe councillors said there was a need for public education on the need to protect vultures.

Pandamatenga councillor, Mr Tuelo Tengenyane said people have to be taught proper methods of controlling predators instead of poisoning them.

Mr Tengenyane said bird tourism also has to be  promoted to create employment.

Kasane Central councillor, Mr Sharps Munihango blamed the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) for the failure to compensate farmers on time, saying it compelled some people to poison predators and to kill vultures as a result.

He advised Bird Life Botswana to partner with the DWNP to address compensation of farmers.

Chobe Enclave East councillor, Mr Baleohi Disho said there was need to establish the root causes of vulture poisoning. He noted that about 350 species of birds were found in Kasane out of the 600 bird species in Botswana. ENDS