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Vulture Safe Havens
If the dwindling populations of wild vultures are to survive and, crucially, if reintroductions of birds raised in captivity are to succeed, the next step on this tough journey has to be providing safe areas for them in the wild. They need protected diclofenac-free places to feed, grow and eventually start to regain their numbers.
Vulture Safe Havens will each have a radius of 100 km and thereby cover an area of 30,000 km squared. We have identified a number of provisional vulture safe zones, but they will only be declared safe for vultures if there is no diclofenac in use within the entire Safe Haven.
We will ensure this by testing cattle carcasses. The area will only be declared diclofenac-free if over 800 samples taken from cattle carcasses in the area over two years have no diclofenac present.
Diclofenac-free
Once declared diclofenac-free, Safe Havens will be carefully managed and monitored to ensure they remain diclofenac-free. Key to this will be the employment of a dedicated team for each one to deliver:
- Regular cattle carcass testing within the Safe Haven area
- Regular contact and awareness work by dedicated staff with state officials, vets, drug distributors, local farmers and veterinary colleges in the area
- Surveys of vulture populations within each 100 km radius and annual nest counts
- In the early stages, provision of diclofenac-free prey to encourage wild vultures to stay within the Vulture Safe Haven and re-establish in the wild.
Please donate today, and help us continue this vital work. With your help, we can give these icons of the skies a protected space in which to thrive.
If you would like to discuss sponsoring a Safe Haven (with a gift of £1,000 or more), please contact David Agombar, Major Donors Manager, at david.agombar@rspb.org.uk
To find out more about how we are helping vultures, please contact Chris Bowden, SAVE Programme Manager, at chris.bowden@rspb.org.uk
If you would like to discuss bespoke opportunities for your business to help SAVE, please contact Martin Sreeves at martin.sreeves@rspb.org.uk
Last modified: 30 March 2012