Allan, David G.

Benson, Patrick C.

Pfeiffer, Morgan

Theron, Nicholas

English

AJOL - African Journals Online

Vulture News 64                                                                         July 2013 50   Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres caught in gin trap  David G. Allan 1*, Patrick C. Benson2, Morgan Pfeiffer3 & Nicholas Theron4  1Durban Natural Science Museum, P.O. Box 4085, Durban 4000, South Africa. 2School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, P.O. Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa. 3School of Biological & Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal,, P/Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa. 4BirdLife South Africa, P.O. Box 515, Randburg 2125, South Africa. * Corresponding author: alland@durban.gov.za  Gin-traps are widely and legally used for ‘problem-animal control’, targeted primarily at mammalian carnivores, in many places around the world, including South Africa. These devices, however, are equally commonly regarded as unethical and their deployment is illegal in many countries. In southern Africa, gin traps are known to have caught individuals of several vulture species, although details are typically sketchy (e.g. Maritz 1997). Bearded Vultures Gypaetus barbatus seem particularly hard hit and at least 16 are known to have been caught in these contraptions throughout the current southern African range of this bird: in Lesotho (n=9), the Eastern Cape Province (n=4), KwaZulu-Natal (n=2) and Free State (n=1) (Anon. 1966, Ambrose 1983, Blair & Blair 1983, Brown 1991, Colahan 1991, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife 2006). One early study reported them as the second-highest cause of mortality in this species after poisoning (Brown 1991) and even employed these devices, with their jaws padded, to capture (and subsequently release unharmed) individuals of this vulture (Brown 1989). Lappet-faced Vultures Torgos tracheliotos are similarly known to have fallen foul of gin traps in Namibia (n=1) (Brown Vulture News 64                                                                         July 2013 51  1986) and the Northern Cape Province (sample size not stated) (Anderson 2000a). White-backed Vultures Gyps africanus are claimed as additional victims in the Northern Cape Province but without further details (Anderson 2000a). Not all of these birds died as a result of being caught in these traps and many were subsequently released. These trapping instances can be either accidental, e.g. where the traps are targeted at mammalian predators (e.g. Anon. 1966, Colahan 1991, Anderson 2000a), or intentional, e.g. directly aimed at killing vultures for the traditional medicine trade (e.g. Ambrose 1983). Despite the relative paucity of records of vultures succumbing to gin traps, several studies of the prevalence of these birds in traditional medicine in southern Africa mention ‘trapping’ as a common method of obtaining vultures; one investigation reported 24% of traded birds as having been trapped (Beilis & Esterhuizen 2005, Mander et al. 2007). It would seem likely that gin traps are implicated in at least some of these instances. We can trace only a single record of a Cape Vulture G. coprotheres being caught in a gin trap, a bird killed in Lesotho apparently intentionally for the traditional medicine trade (Ambrose 1983). Several detailed reviews of the threats faced by this vulture make no mention of these devices (Brooke 1984, Collar & Stuart 1985, Mundy et al. 1992, Anderson 2000b). While surveying the Tembukazi Cape Vulture breeding colony (Boshoff & Minnie 2011) in the Eastern Cape Province (31˚20’43.6” S; 29˚14’15.3” E) on 4 October 2012, we saw and photographed an adult Cape Vulture with a gin trap clamped to its right foot fly into its nest situated on a cliff face and containing a large chick. The chain used to tether the trap to the ground could be clearly seen dangling below the flying bird. We have no way of knowing whether the deployment of this trap was accidental or intentional relative to its having caught a Cape Vulture. We were present at the colony for only a few hours and the subsequent fate of this bird is not known to us.  Acknowledgements This observation stems from a survey of Cape Vulture colonies supported by BirdLife South Africa and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, with financial support from the Rufford Foundation. Vulture News 64                                                                         July 2013 52        An adult Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres with a gin-trap clamped to its right foot, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, 4 October 2012 (photographs: Patrick Benson).     References Ambrose, D.P. 1983. Lesotho’s heritage in jeopardy: a report of the Chairman of the Protection and Preservation commission for the years 1980-1 and Vulture News 64                                                                         July 2013 53  1981-2 together with a survey of its past work and present challenges. Unpubl. report, Protection and Preservation Commission, Maseru. Anderson, M.D. 2000a. Raptor conservation in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Ostrich 71: 25-32. Anderson, M.D. 2000b. Cape Vulture. In: Barnes, K.N. (ed.), The Eskom red data book of birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, pp. 73-75. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg. Anon. 1966. Rare birds killed. Bokmakierie 18: 22. Beilis, N. & Esterhuizen, J. 2005. The potential impact on Cape Griffon Gyps coprotheres populations due to the trade in traditional medicine in Maseru, Lesotho. Vulture News 53: 15-19. Blair, A. & Blair, V. 1983. The Lammergeier incident. Unpubl. report, National University of Lesotho, Roma. Boshoff, A. & Minnie, J. 2011. On the role of the shape and size of foraging area, and colony size, in selecting critical areas for Cape Griffon Gyps coprotheres conservation action. Vulture News 61: 4-15. Brooke, R.K. 1984. South African red data book – birds. South African National Scientific Programmes Report 97: 1-213. Brown, C.J. 1986. Biology and conservation of the Lappet-faced Vulture in SWA/Namibia. Vulture News 16: 10-19. Brown, C.J. 1989. Plumages and measurements of the Bearded Vulture in southern Africa. Ostrich 60: 165-171. Brown, C.J. 1991. An investigation into the decline of the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus in southern Africa. Biological Conservation 57: 315-337. Colahan, B.D. 1991. Bearded Vultures killed with coyote getters in the eastern Orange Free State, South Africa. Vulture News 25: 13-14. Collar, N.J. & Stuart, S.N. 1985. Threatened birds of Africa and related islands. The ICBP/IUCN red data book, part 1. ICBP & IUCN, Cambridge. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. 2006. http://www.kznwildlife.com/old/index.php?/Bearded-Vulture-Release.html. Vulture News 64                                                                         July 2013 54  Mander, M., Diederichs, N., Ntuli, L., Mavundla, K., Williams, V. & McKean, S. 2007. Survey of the trade in vultures for the traditional health industry in South Africa. Unpubl. report, Futureworks, Everton, Durban. Maritz, A. W. A. 1997. The conservation of vultures in the Northern Cape: a farmer's view. In: Boshoff, A.F., Anderson, M.D. & Borello, W.D. (eds), Vultures in the 21st century: proceedings of a workshop on vulture research and conservation in southern Africa, pp. 110-111. Vulture Study Group, Johannesburg. Mundy, P., Butchart, D., Ledger, J. & Piper, S. 1992. The vultures of Africa. Acorn Books & Russel Friedman Books, Randburg & Halfway House, South Africa.  Keywords: Cape Vulture, gin trap, Gyps coprotheres.  ******   

Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres caught in gin trap

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Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres caught in gin trap

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