Waste management and Hooded Vultures on the Legon Campus of the University of Ghana in Accra, Ghana, West Africa

Abstract

Recent rapid expansion in the human communities of public universities in Ghana has resulted in increased waste generation. The ecological implications of this phenomenon
remain unstudied. Counts of Hooded Vultures Necrosyrtes monachus on the Legon
Campus of the University of Ghana between June 2005 and February 2006 revealed that
a significantly higher number of vultures existed in the residential parts of the campus,
relative to the non-residential parts. The number of vultures occurring on the campus was
found to be positively correlated with the academic calendar with high numbers of vultures
occurring when school was in session, and vice versa. Interviews of a cross section of the
university community identified defecation by roosting vultures on the human campus
inhabitants as the most pronounced impact. This was reported to occur mainly in the earlymorning or late-afternoon and affected 64% of the inhabitants, with the highest rate of
occurrence being at least once a month (44.5%). Baseline data, on which further studies
and environmental management plans can be based, are provided.

Vulture News Vol. 58 2008: pp. 16-22