Nigerian Medicine Healers Switch to Plants, Saving Vultures

Traditional healers in Nigeria are choosing plants over vulture parts in their practices, breathing new life into conservation efforts for birds that were nearly wiped out.

Nigeria once hosted seven vulture species. Today, only two remain: the critically endangered hooded vulture and the palm-nut vulture.

For generations, traditional medicine practitioners used vulture parts in healing rituals and ceremonies believed to bring luck or success. But as vulture numbers collapsed from habitat loss, poisoning, and poaching, conservationists knew something had to change.

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation began working directly with traditional healers to find alternatives. The strategy worked better than expected.

"My view is to look for alternative plants instead of vultures," Chief Samson Ola Soyoye, vice president of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners, told researchers. He acknowledged that vultures were once plentiful, but recognized their rapid march toward extinction.

More than 20 plant species now substitute for vulture parts in some regions. Stella Egbe, species conservation manager at the foundation, credits awareness campaigns, stronger law enforcement, and rising prices for vulture parts with motivating the switch.

Regional patterns reveal fascinating cultural differences. In southern and eastern Nigeria, traditional beliefs already discouraged killing vultures, making practitioners more willing to embrace plant alternatives.

Northern and western regions present a tougher challenge. There, vultures are often seen as symbols of bad luck, and demand for their parts continues growing.

The Ripple Effect

This conservation approach shows how working with communities rather than against their traditions creates lasting change. By respecting traditional medicine while offering sustainable alternatives, conservationists turned potential adversaries into allies.

The plant alternatives themselves now need protection. The African mahogany tree, one popular substitute, is listed as vulnerable due to declining numbers. The violet tree faces similar pressure from overharvesting.

The foundation plans to cultivate at-risk medicinal plants in protected areas, creating a sustainable supply chain that protects both vultures and vegetation. Chief Soyoye's organization has successfully engaged registered practitioners in southwest Nigeria, though he emphasizes more outreach is needed.

Stronger national enforcement against vulture killings and parts trading remains essential. Michael Manja Williams, a PhD candidate studying the issue, notes that aligning conservation with existing cultural norms produces the best results.

Egbe describes herself as "cautiously optimistic" about the progress while acknowledging the long road ahead: "We're still far away from celebrating the successful recovery of vulture populations."