Chad Launches Project to Save Vanishing Vultures

Vultures are getting a lifeline in Chad, where conservationists just launched a project to protect the scavenging birds from poisoning and illegal hunting that's wiped them out in neighboring countries.

The nonprofit Sahara Conservation is focusing on Chad's Ouadi Rimé–Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve and Lake Fitri, where endangered Egyptian vultures winter after migrating from Europe and Asia. Two other species, the critically endangered Rüppell's vulture and endangered lappet-faced vulture, actually breed in these areas.

"This project really aims to tackle the main threats to vultures in Chad," says Cloé Pourchier, program officer at Sahara Conservation. "Any action for vulture conservation will benefit all species as well."

The threats are severe. Last year alone, poisoning killed more than 100 Rüppell's vultures in just three incidents. Several birds were decapitated, their heads destined for markets in Nigeria and Niger where buyers believe vulture body parts bring luck or ward off misfortune.

Investigations revealed people were crossing borders specifically to kill the birds. Locals told the conservation team that hunters from Nigeria would kill vultures, take the heads, and return home to sell them.

Vultures also die accidentally when livestock owners poison carcasses to kill jackals or leopards. The scavenging birds eat the poisoned meat and die as collateral damage in efforts to protect herds.

The Ripple Effect: The project plans to train wildlife authorities to respond better to poisoning incidents while investigating the supply chains fueling belief-based killing. Community outreach will address misconceptions about vultures and highlight how the birds benefit ecosystems by cleaning up carcasses.

The team will also help livestock owners with simple, affordable solutions like fencing and visual deterrents. These low-cost interventions can reduce conflicts with predators without resorting to poison that kills indiscriminately.

"We see more and more countries in West Africa where there are no vultures anymore," Pourchier warns. "If we're not acting, at some point, it's just going to go from one country to another."

Nico Arcilla, president of the International Bird Conservation Partnership, believes the timing matters. "Such illegal killing is only one of many formidable threats to Egyptian vultures in Chad, but Sahara Conservation's stepping up to take a leadership role in their protection could be a game-changer."

The work in Chad could become a model for stopping the continent-wide disappearance of these essential scavengers.