More than 120 endangered vultures have died after feeding on a poisoned elephant carcass in South Africa, in what officials describe as one of the region’s worst mass poisonings in recent years.
The incident occurred earlier this week in the Kruger National Park, a major wildlife reserve in the country’s northeast.
Authorities say poachers are suspected of lacing the elephant carcass with toxic agrochemicals. In total, 123 vultures were found dead at the site, according to a joint statement from park officials and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) released on Thursday.
Another 84 birds were rescued and are being treated and monitored after being evacuated by road and helicopter.
The dead vultures included white-backed vultures, Cape vultures, and a lappet-faced vulture – all listed as either endangered or critically endangered.
“This is a staggering loss,” the EWT said. The carcass is believed to have been deliberately poisoned, a practice increasingly used by poachers to kill or conceal the killing of other animals.
Gareth Tate, manager of the EWT’s Birds of Prey Programme, said it was the largest mass vulture poisoning in the region since 2019, when more than 500 vultures died in a similar incident in Botswana.
“Sometimes vultures are the unintended victims of poisoning aimed at other species, such as lions,” Mr Tate said. “But in some cases, they are maliciously targeted because they give away the location of poached animals.”
Conservation groups have raised concern over the growing use of poison by wildlife traffickers. The body parts of animals like lions and vultures are often sold for use in traditional medicine.
South African authorities say investigations into the incident are ongoing.
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