Three Ways You Can Help Vultures

Vultures are the most threatened group of birds in the world. Multiple threats in their natural environments are pushing the wild populations of several vulture species terrifyingly close to oblivion. If you’re losing sleep at night wondering what you can do to help halt the decline of wild vulture populations, then this article is for you. Maybe it’s easier to be a part of the solution than you first thought. Here are three ways you can get involved in vulture conservation.

Extinction is not a word to take lightly. It means lost to the world, gone forever.

1. Raise awareness

To quote Dr Suess, ‘unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.’. You can advocate for vultures by sharing your interest with other people. There are lots of ways you can raise awareness about the plight of vultures. Perhaps you can strike up a conversation with someone new about vultures – doesn’t everyone talk about their favourite misunderstood bird species at parties? Another great way to get the message out there is to share vulture content on your social media: for example, you could write a post on your favourite thing about vultures. Or, despite your busy schedule, you could start a new blog which you really don’t have time to do, just because you want to talk about your favourite birds as much as you can. Passion is contagious – share it!

‘SO VULTURES PROVIDE AN ECOSYSTEM SERVICE BECAUSE THEY HELP TO STOP THE SPREAD OF DISEASE BY CONSUMING CARRION AND THEY ARE ADAPTED TO FULFIL THIS SPECIALISED NICHE BY HAVING BALD HEADS AND CORROSIVE STOMACH ACID…’ (Seriously though, if someone rejects your love for vultures, then all I can say is you probably don’t need their negativity in your life anyway).

2. Support the work of vulture conservation organisations

Conservation and research are expensive businesses, and whilst monetary donations certainly support the work of vulture conservationists, there are other ways you can support those charities. You can reach out to these organisations to find out what equipment staff require to do their jobs - perhaps you can donate an old pair of binoculars or bird ID books. You can raise funds through a sponsored challenge. But easiest of all, you can like, share and follow these organisations via social media. Some vulture-specific organisations you can follow include:

· Vulture Conservation Foundation

· International Vulture Programme

· Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction

3. Volunteer

Volunteering your time to support a cause you care about is good for the soul. This can be at a reputable zoological organisation that cares for endangered species, including vultures. Perhaps you are in a position to travel to count Bearded Vultures in the Alps. If you are a computer whizz, you could offer your support to help crunch numbers or support admin tasks. Maybe on the next International Vulture Awareness Day, you can man a stall on behalf of a charity you want to help – a great way to both champion vultures and raise funds for the charities working to save them.

Smarties the Egyptian Vulture. Photo taken by Emma McLachlan in 2015.

There you have it – my three top tips to anyone who wants to help save vultures. If you have any other suggestions, then feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Thanks for reading raptor friends!