Foundation Stresses Importance of Vulture to Ecosystem

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) an NGO, has stressed the importance of vulture to the ecosystem and called on relevant stakeholders to create more awareness on this.
Mr Harry Hanson Jr. Project Officer of NCF/Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands, Yobe, stated this in a virtual commemoration ceremony of International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) on Wednesday, in Abuja.
Harry explained that first Saturday of September every year, is celebrated as International Vulture Awareness Day, adding that this year`s theme is: History and Importance of this Day.
He noted that in 2019 edition of the IVAD event, it was celebrated with fun fair
He added that in 2019, environmental conservation stakeholders and young people of school age were gathered in Sokoto, Kano and Yobe states respectively, to create awareness of the event while this year was different due to COVID –19 pandemic.
According to him, vultures are an ecologically vital group of birds that face wide range of threats in many areas.
“Vultures are under pressure and some species of these misunderstood birds are facing extinction. This IVAD day does not only raise awareness about vulture numbers, but also educates the general public on the importance of vulture. Vultures play an essential role in the ecology and environment. If I may ask this question, what will happen if there are no vultures, well, the answer is that we will no longer enjoy the free ecological service that vultures provide. Dead animals will pollute both our water and environment, vultures eat the dead carcass of the animals which if not eaten can pollute the environment. There will also be loss of cultural value and heritage in our environment”.
Harry however called on government at all levels, relevant stakeholders and Nigerians at large to create effective awareness on the importance of vulture in any given environment.
He said the NCF was premier Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), dedicated to nature/species conservation and sustainable development in Nigeria adding that, the objective of the organisation was to preserve the full range of Nigeria’s biodiversity which includes species, ecosystem, and genetic diversity.
He added that the organisation was committed to promote the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations and advocate actions that minimise pollution and wasteful utilisation of renewable resources.
Mr Sulaiman Mohammad, Biological Science Department, Federal University Dutse (FUD), said vultures provide critical important ecosystem services by cleaning up carcasses and other organic waste in the environment.
Mohammad said any environment without vultures, the carcasses would enhance easy spread of diseases in both wild and domestic animals as well as pathogenic risks to human.
Mr Abubakar Ringim, also a lecturer from FUD, said over 14 of 23 (60 per cent) of vulture worldwide were threatened with extinction.
Ringim said vultures decline began since 19 century in Europe and North America, adding that about a hundred year ago, some populations of bearded vulture and the California condor were already near extinction.
He said about seven of Africa`s vulture species were on the verge of complete disappearance.
“Specifically, populations of eight species in Africa has shown 62 per cent decline, seven declined by more than 80 per cent, threats were many and varied from region to region”.
Meanwhile, according to report in biological conservation, the primary threat to vultures is the presence of toxins in the carrion they consume.