Tag Archives: Vulture restaurant
The environmental importance of the vulture restaurant at HESC
The vulture restaurant at HESC might be for some a difficult sight to absorb and odour to handle. However, this ‘pit of bones’ is very important from a conservation point of view. Many people may not be aware that most of the vulture species are endangered. And should nothing be done to try to save them, this could have a severe impact on the environment. The vulture restaurant at HESC…
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Kruger-to-Canyons (K2C) Hooded Vulture Project Update
Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) has been involved in the Kruger-to-Canyons (K2C) Hooded Vulture Project for some time. Our primary role has been to afford access to our vulture restaurant where the research is being carried out. The K2C Hooded Vulture Project, which began in 2015, is a collaborative effort between several international partners. The aim is to investigate the breeding biology of these endangered birds, their nest site selection, factors affecting…
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Cleaning and closing the Vulture Restaurant
Every year, twice a year, the Vulture Restaurant is cleaned out and closed for a period of time. What is the Vulture Restaurant? At HESC nothing goes to waste! Once our resident predators have eaten their fill, we then collect the remaining bones and carcasses and deposit them in the ‘Vulture Restaurant’ for the various raptors that frequent the neighbourhood to enjoy. This area attracts mostly White-backed and Hooded vultures,…
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International Vulture Awareness Day
The International Vulture Awareness Day takes place each and every year on the first Saturday in September. This day is all about promoting an awareness of the importance of vultures and the vital niche role they play in the ecosystem. Globally vultures are the most endangered group of birds. And yet, without them, the world without vultures would be a foul-smelling place filled with disease and rotting carcasses! Here are 10…
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Our Vulture restaurant will be closed until the summer rains…
Vultures circle the “vulture restaurant” in anticipation of their meal We will be closing the vulture restaurant from today until the first rains come. Past experience has proven that the risk of an anthrax outbreak* is greatly reduced (if not eliminated entirely) once we’ve had our first good spring rain. Even though there have been no cases of anthrax reported in the Kruger National Park area this year, every year…
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