Abundance, distribution, and threats affecting hooded vultures in north-central Nigeria

Abstract

Vulture populations have declined significantly across the world. Their population decline is largely associated with anthropogenic activities worldwide. The old-world vultures in Africa face threats ranging from poisoning, illegal hunting and trades in their body parts. Nigeria had seven species of vultures, but most of them have been hunted and extirpated across the country’s ecological zones owing to belief systems and trades in their body parts. We carried out our study of the abundance, distribution, and threats affecting vultures across the state of Plateau in northcentral Nigeria. We conducted field surveys of vultures using a stratified-random sampling approach involving 68 count locations distributed across 34 districts of the state, where threats (measured by utilization of vultures) as well as opportunities (poultry and slaughter-house operations) were recorded. We sighted more vultures in the higher Plateau, which has higher human population density and lower threat levels, than in areas of lower Plateau with lower human population density but higher threat levels. Vulture abundance likely reflects the influence of variation in the degree of threats against vultures, human populations and types of settlement. At lower Plateau, vultures experienced greater competition for food with humans, dogs, and pied crows Corvus albus. For this reason, we advocate increased public education to encourage improved coexistence between vultures and poultry and slaughterhouse operations. We also advocate for the establishment of “vulture restaurants” or artificial feeding points or safe havens specifically to benefit and sustain these invaluable species within the State.