NEWS
VulPro wins zoo award again
F
or the second year
running, VulPro ~ The
Vulture Conservation
Programme of South
Africa, which operates from
premises in Wes Moot near
Hartbeespoort, has been
awarded the prestigious Paaza
(Pan-African Association of
Zoos & Aquaria) conservation
award for its vulture conservation work.
Last year VulPro was recognise and rewarded for its
captive breeding programme
which resulted in the
successful release of captive
bred Cape Vulture chicks for
population supplementation,
the first ever on the African
continent.
This year VulPro was recognised for its work in saving
vultures through rehabilitation, education, population
monitoring and surveys,
research, captive breeding
and ongoing involvement and
interaction with landowners,
farmers and the general
public.
VulPro says vultures are vital
indicators of the health of our
From page 13
Gauteng, but is found in the
Eastern Free State, Northwest
Province, Eastern Cape,
Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and
Mpumalanga.
The problem of bankrupt
bush encroachment has
become so acute that two
officials from the Dept of
cultivated fields or degraded
veld, but from there will
rapidly spread into adjacent
areas, even veld with good
cover and with a good species
composition.
It is particularly prevalent in
the Eastern Highveld parts of
ecosystem and are invaluable
guardians against outbreaks of
botulism, anthrax and foot
and mouth disease due to
their ability to metabolise
these bacteria with no danger
to themselves.
They are, however, very
susceptible to poison, certain
NSaids (non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs) such as
Ketaprofen, lead toxicity,
habitat loss and physical flight
threats such as power lines.
VulPro's work has far reaching
benefits by helping to stabilise
and
recover
wild
population
numbers,
limiting
disease
epidemics,
ensuring healthy wildlife and
limiting unnecessary loss of
stock in the agricultural sector.
VulPro's impact is particularly
important in poorer rural
areas, where families often
rely solely on their livestock
for survival.
BANKRUPT BUSH
Agriculture, Forestries &
Fisheries, Paul Avenant and
Ivan Riggs, have compiled a
52 page guide to the bush,
how to identify it and its
extent in one's lands, and best
practices for its eradication
and control.
Entitled the Best Practises
15
www.sasmallholder.co.za
Manual For The Control And
Management Of Bankrupt
Bush (Seriphium plumosum)
Ver 1.2, the manual can be
downloaded from
www.sasmallholder.co.za
under the resources tab, or
obtained from Daff offices.