Protect Endangered Vultures in South Africa’s Southern Drakensberg.

Our Southern Drakensberg Conservation Program, Wildlife ACT's newest initiative, focuses on the conservation of vulnerable and regionally critically endangered Vultures, along with other regionally significant species and protected area boundaries. Key activities include Vulture nest monitoring, managing Vulture-safe feeding sites, conducting long-term camera trap surveys, and supporting boundary conservation efforts like alien plant control and emergency response for Vultures and other species. A major focus is on the vulnerable Cape Vulture and critically endangered Bearded Vulture.

Located in KwaZulu-Natal, the Maloti-Drakensberg Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of South Africa's largest protected areas, providing a critical refuge for threatened species.

The Drakensberg region is a key breeding area for these endangered cliff-nesting species of Vultures. Vultures, as keystone species, provide essential ecosystem services, including disease control, and this conservation program supports national and provincial efforts to create Vulture-safe zones across the region.

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At the Southern Drakensberg Conservation Program, volunteers engage in hands-on conservation for endangered species in the region, often involving physical tasks and scenic mountain hikes. Key responsibilities include:

• Vulture Nest Monitoring: Volunteers monitor nest sites, requiring hiking and long hours to observe Vulture activity, primarily from May to November during the breeding season.
• Vulture Safe Feeding Sites: Volunteers assist in transporting carcasses to the Mzimkulu Vulture Hide safe feeding site, manage the site, and monitor Vulture activity visually and through camera traps. Maintenance of camera traps, including changing batteries and memory cards, is also required, with footage catalogued for long-term monitoring.
• Long-term Camera Trap Survey: Volunteers help manage the camera trap survey by scouting, setting up, and maintaining stations in remote areas, clearing vegetation, and downloading and cataloguing footage.
• Protected Area Boundary Support: Volunteers assist with emergency responses related to species concerns, such as injuries, poisonings, or human-wildlife conflict, and support alien plant control in vulnerable areas.

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The Southern Drakensberg Conservation Program is a collaborative effort between Wildlife ACT, the Drakensberg Conservation Initiative, and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Our conservation work aims to enhance wildlife conservation in the Southern Drakensberg, with a primary focus on Vulture conservation, priority species monitoring, and protected area boundary support.

Key activities include monitoring Vulture nesting sites within and around the World Heritage Site, managing safe Vulture feeding sites in buffer zones, and conducting a long-term remote camera trapping survey across the Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site. In partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), the program contributes valuable data for management and policy decisions in the region. Additionally, our conservation work supports alien plant control and responds to emergencies related to Vultures and other priority species.

Volunteers will also be actively involved in maintaining the Vulture-safe feeding site at the  Mzimkulu Vulture Hide, which is fitted with one-way glass and provides excellent photographic opportunities for birding enthusiasts.

Another vital component is the long-term camera trap survey, which provides insights into the health of the ecosystem and the status of various species, helping to monitor biodiversity and inform conservation strategies within this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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The Southern Drakensberg Conservation Program team is based in a charming farmhouse affectionately known as the ‘Gate House’. The house is situated in the buffer zone surrounding the Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site. This location is perfectly appointed to allow for easy access to the World Heritage Site, and Vulture-safe feeding sites and allows for swift response to emergency call-outs. The house is fairly rustic, but homely and equipped with a fireplace for cold weather. It offers twin rooms, an indoor bathroom, a cosy lounge and stocked kitchen, and a lovely outdoor verandah. The volunteers are responsible for preparing their own meals, cleaning, and maintaining the research house during their stay.

Volunteers participating in Wildlife ACT’s Southern Drakensberg Conservation Program should plan their travel to Durban’s King Shaka International Airport (DUR). Arrival Flight: On the arrival Monday participants need to be at the airport by 12:00 PM midday to catch the shuttle to Underberg, a scenic 3-hour drive covering 250 kilometres (155 miles). Depart Flight: Volunteers arrive back at Durban Airport by 12:00 PM midday on their departure Monday. Shuttle services are available at an additional cost of ZAR 1,800 each way.

The Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site is celebrated for its breathtaking scenery, significance as a sanctuary for threatened and endangered species, and its rich collection of rock paintings created by the San people over 4,000 years. Spanning 249,313 hectares, it is the largest protected area along the Great Escarpment of Southern Africa. Located along KwaZulu-Natal’s southwestern border with Lesotho, the site shelters over 250 endemic plant species and their fauna, along with nearly all of the province’s subalpine and alpine vegetation, including expansive high-altitude wetlands. Recognised as an Important Bird Area, it plays a crucial role in the Lesotho Highlands Endemic Bird Area. The Southern Drakensberg Conservation Program also focuses on conservation in the surrounding buffer zones, with local community involvement and exclusive access to Wildlife ACT activities on local farms.

View our Maloti-Drakensberg photos here:
https://www.wildlifeact.com/blog/endangered-vulture-conservation-in-the-southern-drakensberg-with-wildlife-act