Economic analysis of feeding stations as a means to preserve an endangered species: The case of Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Israel

Becker, Nir; Choresh, Yael; Bahat, Ofer; Inbar, Moshe

doi:10.1016/j.jnc.2009.04.004

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…An important conservation management response to this crisis has been the provision of drug- and poison-free carcasses at sites (‘restaurants’) which can be guarded from interference (Piper et al 1999, Gilbert et al 2007, Becker et al 2009). Recently, restaurants have been established in Cambodia, where a small but important population of three ‘Critically Endangered’ species, Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris (hereafter Slender-bill), White-rumped Vulture G. bengalensis (White-rump), and Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus (Red-head), persists (Collar et al 2001, BirdLife International Indochina 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging behaviour at carcasses in an Asian vulture assemblage: towards a good restaurant guide

Hille

Korner‐Nievergelt²,

Bleeker

et al. 2015

Bird Conservation International

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SummaryVulture populations are declining steeply worldwide. Vulture ‘restaurants’ or feeding stations are a tool for maintaining and monitoring numbers, but individual species may be disadvantaged by the effects of carcass distribution, carcass size and interspecific aggression. To test the degree to which restaurants give opportunities for each species to access the food provided, we studied behaviour and morphology in three Critically Endangered species of vulture in Cambodia: the gregariously breeding and feeding White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis and Slender-billed Vulture G. tenuirostris, and the solitary Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus. We video-recorded attendance time, attendance order and dominance behaviour at different-sized carcasses. Interspecific aggression at carcasses was least frequently shown by the ‘small’ White-rumped Vulture. The relatively ‘large’ Slender-billed and ‘medium’ Red-headed Vultures showed aggression more regularly and at similar levels. However, the latter avoids conflict by waiting until Gyps vultures are no longer crowding at the carcass, although its arrival at carcasses was correlated with total number of vultures present. While more numerous than Red-headed, the two Gyps vultures are more dependent on large carcasses, which increases their vulnerability to further declines in wild large ungulate species. Body size, number of individuals, hunger levels and carcass size and availability all influence carcass attendance behaviour. An increase in the number and spatial distribution of restaurants as well as of carcass size range could boost numbers of all vulture species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging behaviour at carcasses in an Asian vulture assemblage: towards a good restaurant guide

Hille

Korner‐Nievergelt²,

Bleeker

et al. 2015

Bird Conservation International

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“…In the past decade, vulture populations have declined dramatically across the Asian subcontinent (Green et al ., ; Gilbert et al ., ; Pain et al ., ) as well as in the Middle East (Becker et al ., ) and Africa (Thiollay, ; Virani et al ., ). The causes for some of these declines are well documented, for example, diclofenac poisoning in South Asia (Oaks et al ., ), but less well understood in Africa, although land use change and poisoning have both been suggested as important factors (Thiollay, ; Virani et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survival of theAfrican white‐backed vultureGyps africanusin north‐easternSouthAfrica

2012

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Old World vultures are in decline across their entire range. Although critical for the formulation of effective conservation measures, neither survival nor movement patterns of African vultures are adequately known. This paper presents survival and movement data on the African white‐backed vultures (Gyps africanus) from South Africa. Survival estimates were modelled on resightings of tagged vultures. Birds were captured en masse and resighted between November 2005 and December 2010. A total of 93 adult and subadult birds were fitted with uniquely numbered patagial tags, which were resighted 3707 times(mean of 39.8 resightings per bird). The programme MARK was used to estimate survival. The best model was one where survival and recaptures varied only with time (e.g. year). However, owing to the fading (illegibility) of tags in later years, the relationship with time is probably spurious. The second best model was one where survival and recaptures varied with age and time. Annual survival estimates increased from 85.2% in second‐year birds to 99.9% in adults. This corresponds well with the survival of two other Gyps vultures that have been studied to date and underscores the point that additional mortality of adults in these long‐lived species will result in rapid population declines.

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“…Some of these changes are straightforward: insulating power lines (Van Rooyen 2004;Koenig 2006), tagging and monitoring (Bögel 2006;Margalida et al 2008; García-Ripollés, López-López and Urios 2011), switching to less harmful veterinary drugs (Cuthbert et al 2011), vulture feeding stations (Bahat 2001;Piper 2006;Becker et al 2009;, and leaving carcasses in the landscape . Others require more funding and longer-term investment.…”

Section: Vultures and Humans: The Story Continuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Others require more funding and longer-term investment. For example, education, conservation and research programs should ideally monitor vulture populations over generations and document their impact on species diversity, the regional ecology and economy, as well as human welfare (Koenig 2006;Becker et al 2009;Ogada, Keesing and Virani 2012;Moleón et al 2014).…”

Section: Vultures and Humans: The Story Continuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Vulture in the Sky and the Hominin on the Land: Three Million Years of Human–Vulture Interaction

et al. 2015

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Vultures and humans have been sympatric for millions of years and evidence from the archaeological and historical records suggests interde- pendence over long periods. Like other species, early hominins probably used these birds to locate carcasses in the landscape. With the evolution of large- bodied and more encephalized hominins, the quest for high-quality food would have intensified. Vultures used as beacons for meat may have been particularly important to hominins dispersing out of Africa, facilitating the occupation of new landscapes. Neanderthals and prehistoric modern humans incorporated vul- ture parts into their culture, and while the symbolic and ritualistic significance of the birds may have varied through time and across cultures, their link with positive life forces is apparent. More recently, the intensification of farming and modern sanitary restrictions, as well as the spread of human populations, has led to the radical decline in vulture populations throughout the world. Without commitments by governments to fund vulture conservation programs, the abil- ity to preserve many species may be limited over the long term. In this review paper we discuss the ability of vultures to act as beacons signaling meat in the landscape and our changing relationships with these enigmatic birds through a shared history. Within this narrative, we outline why vultures are fundamental to maintaining our ecosystem and should therefore be protected

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Economic analysis of feeding stations as a means to preserve an endangered species: The case of Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Israel

Cited by 16 publications

References 32 publications

Foraging behaviour at carcasses in an Asian vulture assemblage: towards a good restaurant guide

Foraging behaviour at carcasses in an Asian vulture assemblage: towards a good restaurant guide

Survival of theAfrican white‐backed vultureGyps africanusin north‐easternSouthAfrica

The Vulture in the Sky and the Hominin on the Land: Three Million Years of Human–Vulture Interaction

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