Demand for vultures in West Africa threatens central African populations – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Researchers working in Chad have documented a direct link between demand for vultures in neighboring West African countries and the rapid decline of local populations. The pressure stems from long-standing practices that treat vulture parts as sources of luck, success, or protection. What once appeared as an isolated regional issue now shows clear cross-border effects that reach deep into central Africa.
A Researcher’s Unexpected Offer
Abiola Sylvestre Chaffra, a research fellow with the International Bird Conservation Partnership, experienced the problem firsthand while photographing vultures in Chad. A local man approached him with a practical suggestion: purchase a donkey, poison its carcass, and leave it exposed. Vultures would gather quickly, the man explained, and he had already helped others use the same method to capture the birds.
The encounter revealed how routine such assistance had become. The man described helping multiple clients secure vultures through this technique. His willingness to share the method openly illustrated how deeply embedded the practice had grown in the area, turning a conservation concern into an everyday transaction for some residents.
Evidence from Field Surveys Near the Capital
A recent study examined hooded vulture numbers around slaughterhouses and landfill sites outside N’Djamena. Researchers expected to find the birds in large numbers because of abundant food sources. Instead, the species was largely absent from most locations visited.
Interviews with local residents added context to the absence. Nearly half reported knowledge of recent poisoning events in the region. More than one-third stated they were aware of outsiders from Nigeria, Niger, Benin, and Cameroon who had come to trap or kill vultures. These accounts pointed to organized movement of people responding to external demand rather than random local activity.
The Market for Vulture Parts
In Nigeria and Benin, vultures are sought both alive and dead. Parts including heads, feet, eggs, and even entire nests are collected and sold. The items are used in rituals tied to beliefs about good fortune or defense against witchcraft. A juvenile hooded vulture observed for sale at a market in Benin provided visible evidence of the trade reaching across borders.
This demand has expanded the geographic reach of poaching. Populations once considered more secure in central Africa now face the same pressures previously concentrated farther west. The shift has reduced the number of birds available at traditional feeding sites and increased the risk of local extinctions in affected zones.
Stakeholders and Next Steps
Conservation groups, national wildlife authorities in Chad, and communities near feeding sites all face direct consequences. Local residents who rely on livestock or waste sites for income encounter fewer birds, while enforcement officers must address both domestic and foreign actors. International partners such as the International Bird Conservation Partnership continue to document the patterns and support field work.
Efforts to reduce the trade focus on awareness within source countries and stronger monitoring at known collection points. Without coordinated action across borders, the movement of poachers and the flow of parts are likely to continue. The situation underscores how cultural practices in one region can reshape wildlife conditions hundreds of kilometers away.
