VULTURE CONSERVATION

Some may ask "Why are vultures so important?"

Vultures are essential to the ecosystem in many places of the Earth. Many people are ignorant of their value and importance. Essentially, by eating all the decaying animals and picking carcasses to the bone, all the bacteria and disease that would spread and leach into waterways and the water holes from which humans, and animals, drink from and depend on is prevented. Vultures therefore keep the ecosystem healthy by eating putrid carcasses that other predators will not touch, and do not have the stomach acid that is strong enough to kill the bacteria that feeds on the meat.
What's critical therefore is the number of vultures to the ecosystem and because they have declined so much there are too few of them to devour all the rotting flesh fast enough. Because they can't breed fast enough to recover the population they need our help either by providing "Vulture Restaurants" where safe food is provided, or captive breeding for later release.

The photo below shows Graham in South Africa surveying vulture nests and ringing young birds.