Νέα επιστημονική δημοσίευση για την πρώτη τεκμηριωμένη υπόθεση θανάτωσης Ασπροπάρη εξαιτίας των παραδοσιακών πρακτικών στη Δυτική Αφρική

• ΑΡΧΙΚΗ
• Νεα
• Νέα επιστημονική δημοσίευση για την πρώτη τεκμηριωμένη υπόθεση θανάτωσης Ασπροπάρη εξαιτίας των παραδοσιακών πρακτικών στη Δυτική Αφρική

A new scientific paper about the famous Paschalis case was published in the journal Vie et Milieu under the LIFE project “Egyptian Vulture new LIFE”.

Paschalis was tagged with a satellite transmitter in Greece by the WWF Greece team within the LIFE project “The Return of the Neophron” and tracked to its wintering ground in Niger and Nigeria. Based on telemetry data, the bird was indicated as having died and two simultaneous investigations in both countries were done to reveal its fate.

The investigations were undertaken by partners of the project with the support of the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) in Niger, and the AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) in Nigeria.  They discovered that Paschalis had been killed by a traditional vulture hunter who regularly comes from Nigeria to Niger to hunt. The aim is that the bird be sold to rich customers in Nigeria for traditional “magic” ceremonies. 

Different attitudes towards vultures were observed between Niger and Nigeria. In Niger, the attitude was more likely to be negative but there was no utilization of vultures, while in Nigeria, vultures represented a commercial interest due to the belief that vulture meat can bestow magical power. Although vultures are protected in both countries, there is an ongoing persecution of the birds by Nigerian hunters for trading purposes. More explicit investigation using a careful approach combined with appropriate awareness campaigns could be the ‘game-changer’ to stop this problem with its deep-rooted cultural basis.

Find the paper “First documented case of the killing of an Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) for belief-based practices in Western Africa” here.