87 endangered vultures poisoned by poachers in Mozambique

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Conservationists say at least 87 critically endangered vultures have died after consuming poison planted in the carcass of a poached elephant in Mozambique.

The South Africa-based Endangered Wildlife Trust says at least 80 white-backed vultures and seven hooded vultures were killed and more dead birds might be found in the Mbashene communal area where the poisoning occurred. It says another 17 poisoned vultures improved after treatment.

The conservation group says some of the dead vultures were mutilated, suggesting that they may have been killed for parts used in traditional medicine. The tusks of the poached elephant were seized and one suspect was detained.

Poachers also poison vultures because they circle above the carcasses of animals such as rhinos and elephants, potentially revealing their location to park rangers.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

I agree to these terms.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.