BREAKING NEWS: poisoning at Kruger National Park
African Conservation Experience
We help people support wildlife conservation through inspirational travel.
On Thursday 7 March 2024, the team from Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre were called by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to a major poisoning in the northern area of the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Responding to poisoning incidents like this is a time-critical emergency. Given the vastness of the Kruger National Park, by the time the team were able to get to the remote area, the results were devastating with most of the animals either dying or deceased at the scene.
The wildlife that was found included:
Moholoholo, along with EWT, local veterinarians, and South African National Parks (SANParks), were able to rescue two white-backed vultures who have been transported to the centre to begin the rehabilitation process aiming to release them back into the wild.
Martial Rappo, manager of Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, commented:
“Moholoholo has treated numerous poisoned vultures over the years and we currently have a very high success rate of getting them back into the wild again.”
We are therefore hopeful that the outcome for the two newest arrivals will be positive due to their expertise in treating poisoned vultures.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Why are poisoning incidents occurring?
The Greater Kruger is a target for poisonings by poachers for various reasons. They are often targeting species such as lions which have a commercial value, or vultures which are used in traditional medicine. By contaminating a carcass with lethal pesticides, they ensnare a broad spectrum of wildlife, from apex predators to specialized scavengers. A carcass such as this would naturally draw in a huge variety of species from large predators such as lions to specialist scavengers like hyenas and vultures.
In addition to targeting specific species for their commercial value, it is believed that poachers deliberately aim to eliminate vultures from the areas they look to operate in. Vultures serve as early-warning indicators and can signal the presence of illegally poached animals, such as rhinos, which can then alert anti-poaching units.
Vulture populations are in a steep decline, partly attributable to poisoning incidents, and Rappo states that:
“We're losing a significant percentage of the total vulture population in the Kruger National Park every year. It's quite horrifying to think about it.”
This recent event is a stark reminder of the challenges Moholoholo and other conservationists face to protect the species and ecosystems in southern Africa.
Read More
Find out more about the recent poisoning at the Kruger National Park by reading our blog.