Avian Rehab In South Africa Helps Vultures

Sick and injured birds find refuge at VulPro, a non-profit rehabilitation center that provides food and a safe haven for vultures.

While vultures are known to feast on carrion, they're not immune to the many hazards that come their way, including collisions with power-lines and tainted meat.

Near Pretoria, South Africa, a non-profit organization called VulPro aims to rehabilitate sick or injured birds of prey, particularly the Cape vulture.

VulPro also works towards eliminating threats to vultures around the world.

Vultures are actually helpful in the wild, because their diets allow them to rid an area of disease-carrying pathogens which could affect other animals.

At VulPro, vultures are treated to donated meals of the carcasses of farm animals, such as cows and pigs.

These clean meals ensure the vultures don't run the risk of accidentally being poisoned, a ongoing occurrence that has affected entire breeding colonies.

Pharmaceutical drugs used to keep farm animals healthy remain in their bodies after death. They can be toxic to vultures upon consumption.

Another issue is the poison meat farmers leave out meant for hyenas or other larger animals that threaten their livestock.

VulPro has already saved the lives of many vultures, and in addition to their ongoing rehabilitation work, they are also involved in several breeding programs, as well as research and educational activities.