South African park rangers, in collaboration with a local wildlife organization, rescued more than 80 vultures from a mass poisoning event at Kruger National Park this week. Unfortunately, over 120 vultures were not saved.
The South African National Parks (SANParks) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust described the incident as one of the largest vulture poisoning events in Southern Africa. Authorities suspect poachers may be behind the attack, using agricultural toxins to target species whose body parts are sought for use in traditional medicine.
Among the vultures rescued, some are classified as endangered or critically endangered, including the white-backed vulture. The rescue operation was facilitated by a wildlife-poisoning detection system in a remote part of the park.
Rangers arrived at the scene after being alerted to suspicious activity, where they found 116 dead vultures near an elephant carcass that had been laced with poison. The death toll later increased to 123 as additional vultures succumbed on the way to a rehabilitation center.
SANParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla expressed concern, noting that the vultures that were killed breed only once a year, further emphasizing the seriousness of the event.