Griffons still in danger

DURING THE EASTERN CAPE’S FIRST-EVER VULTURE awareness day in September, about 296 Cape Griffon vultures (Gyps coprotheres) were counted with two good counts coming from Stonehenge near Thomas River and Collywobbles near Idutywa. But, according to Kate Webster of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Birds of Prey Working Group, the response from the public was “somewhat slow and relatively disappointing”. She felt sure, however, that a greater awareness had been generated which would improve in time. She said the number of juvenile birds counted at Collywobbles was also rather disappointing at just 23, while the number of juvenile and sub-adult birds seen at Stonehenge was over 110. An adult bird was also observed sitting in a nest at Stonehenge with evidence of another nest that could possibly have been used during the last breeding season. “Clearly the Cape Griffon vulture is still facing tremendous odds for survival and depends on us to help it,” she added. Information from two of the 10 known vulture restaurants listed in the Eastern Cape confirmed that 32 birds had been seen at Murray Andrew’s restaurant at Greenlands in the Elliot district. “Hopefully we’ll get more information from the other feeding sites next year,” Webster said. – Roelof Bezuidenhout