South Africa Reaffirms Vulture Conservation as National Priority Ahead of AEWA MOP9
South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has underscored vulture conservation as a national environmental priority in the build-up to the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) MOP9 session in November 2025. The Minister highlighted the ongoing threat posed by mass poisonings, which have killed hundreds of vultures this year alone, warning of profound environmental and public health impacts if trends continue.
South Africa is home to nine vulture species, with seven supporting breeding populations. In response to escalating threats, the government launched the National Multi-Species Vulture Biodiversity Management Plan in March 2024 and is now implementing it via the National Vulture Task Force. South Africa also joined regional efforts through the SADC Vulture Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2035), aiming for coordinated conservation across 12 vulture range states to mitigate poisoning, infrastructure collisions, and habitat loss through stakeholder collaboration and data-led interventions.
Source: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
