International Vulture Awareness Day 2023
The first Saturday in September each year is International Vulture Awareness Day.
Vultures are an ecologically vital group of birds that face a range of threats in many areas that they occur. Populations of many species are under pressure and some species are facing extinction.
The International Vulture Awareness Day has grown from Vulture Awareness Days run by the Birds of Prey Programme of the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa and the Hawk Conservancy Trust in England, who decided to work together and expand the initiative into an international event.
The coordinated international day promotes the conservation of vultures to a wider audience and highlights the important work being carried out by the world’s vulture conservationists.
On the first Saturday in September, each participating organisation carries out their own activities that highlight vulture conservation and awareness. This year, the EWT is hosting an event at the Cape Vulture Conservancy in the Lowveld to showcase vultures and reveal the EWT’s new Vulture Ambulance, which has already been used when responding to various wildlife emergencies around the Lowveld.
The Cape Vulture Conservancy will be providing delicious snacks and drinks, which are included in the entrance fee of R300, which also covers the conservation fee that goes to the Cape Vulture Conservancy, as well as drive to view the vultures on the Conservancy, where once can see the Cape Vultures that are breeding on the cliffs, and maybe even catch a glimpse of a Verreaux’s Eagle! We hope that this day will be a wonderful celebration of South Africa’s majestic vultures – which are an irreplaceable part of our country’s natural heritage.
Sign up here to let us know how you are celebrating vultures this weekend!