Governments must halt vulture poisoning

Abstract

Poisoning is currently the most pervasive threat to vultures. Despite efforts tobetter protect these birds, the problem seems to have increased inintensity over the past 2 years. Between September 2019 and March 2020, morethan 2000 Critically Endangered hooded vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus) werepoisoned with methiocarb across eastern Guinea-Bissau, representing the deathof approximately 4.6% of the population of this species in this country. Similarto the worst known case of Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) poisoning (34individuals in Argentina in 2018), 34 condors were killed by pesticides inBolivia this year. Poisoning incidents were also worrying in many other regionsof the world, such as Nepal, where 67 vultures were poisoned in April 2021; Spain, where nearly 100 vultures were poisoned in June 2021; and Israel, where 5% (9 of 200) of the population of Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) from this countrywere killed in just one incident with pesticides in October. Governments musttake immediate action to mitigate harm to vultures.