SAFE or Saving Animals From Extinction focuses the collective expertise within AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their massive audiences to save species. SAFE is a framework that protects threatened animals, builds on established recovery plans and history of commitment, prioritizes collaboration among AZA member institutions, implements strategic conservation and stakeholder engagement activities, and measures and reports conservation progress.

African vulture species function as a scavenging guild with each species providing unique adaptations necessary to find and dispose of carrion collectively. As such, it makes more sense to focus conservation efforts on a suite of African vulture species rather than a single species. This subset of African vultures was selected for the SAFE program for a number of reasons. First, these are the most common African vulture species found in AZA institutions. Second, a number of zoos already had conservation initiatives linked to these species at the time of the submission of the proposal for African Vultures as a SAFE program. Finally, these species have a large amount of overlap in their geographic distribution (with the exception of Ruppell’s and Cape vultures) and share similar threats and conservation needs. Our program can thus focus on a few key activities that can have a positive effect on all six species considered here.

Our initial target areas were Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania as these were where current programs from our partners were most active and also represent areas with significant populations of the target species. In the newest action plan, 2022-2027, our focus has shifted to Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania. However, we plan to expand and fill gaps in knowledge in other key geographic areas both within the current countries outlined and in new countries as well. In particular, priority countries for expanded efforts would include Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe, where current information is limited but where significant vulture populations are expected to occur.

To improve the population status of all six target species in at least 25% of their African distribution by 2040. Areas of focus would be southern Tanzania, central Kenya, and South Africa.

There are nine strategic objectives

• Continue and expand population monitoring of target vulture species
• Reduce poisoning prevalence
• Improve knowledge of vulture biology
• Monitor and reduce threat of infrastructure collision and electrocution
• Enhance rehabilitation, breeding, and release of Cape vultures
• Increase public engagement in vulture conservation
• Increase funding directed at African vulture conservation
• Develop national actions plans for African vultures
• Train and mentor in-country nationals in vulture research and conservation

As a wide-ranging species and scavenger, the threats to vultures overlap heavily with those of several other species, particularly African elephants and lions. Vultures can lead rangers to poaching events targeting elephants and some social carnivores. Reducing elephant poaching is thus important for vulture conservation as well. Similarly, retaliatory killings of carnivores in response to livestock predation often leads to pesticide poisoning, which is a major cause of mortality for lions and hyenas as well as vultures and other scavenging raptors. Other types of human-wildlife conflict can also lead to poisoning of large herbivores, such as hippos. Using satellite telemetry on vultures, researchers have been able to determine poisoning rates and hotspots, which affect both vultures and carnivores. Reducing human-wildlife conflict is critical not just for lion conservation but for vultures as well. In this way, vulture conservation efforts can be overarching and linked to the conservation of many other species which AZA institutions currently hold or work with in the field. As such, conservation strategies that affect vultures can also improve the outcomes for those species. This provides an important opportunity for collaboration and we hope to work with other SAFE programs, AZA institutions, and conservation partners to achieve shared conservation goals within this plan.

Poisoning is the primary threat shared by all six species covered in this plan. Poisoning occurs when carcasses are laced with pesticides or other poisons with the intent to kill vultures or carnivores. Poisoning can be motivated by retaliatory killings for livestock losses, by elephant poachers working to prevent rangers from detecting their illegal activities by killing vultures, and by direct persecution for vulture body parts and trade. Because this is the broadest and most significant threat across the African continent, most of the strategies in the AV SAFE action plan aim to address poisoning. In addition to poisoning, there are a number of additional threats to vultures, but do not compare in magnitude to poisoning. However, of particular significance for Cape vultures in Botswana and South Africa and of increasing concern for Ruppell’s and other vultures in Kenya is electrocution and collision with powerlines or wind turbines, which is also addressed in this plan. Vulture mortality by electrocution on power poles and injuries resulting from collisions with power lines have become more prevalent in recent years as energy demand increases in Africa. Additionally, wind farms are increasing in popularity across Africa and vulture collisions and resulting mortality are an additional threat to vultures.

Denver Zoo, North Carolina Zoo, and San Diego Zoo Global proposed African Vultures as a SAFE program in February 2017, which was accepted in August 2017. The initial plan was completed in February 2018 and used through February 2022. A new action plan was completed and intended to be used from February 2022 to February 2025, but was changed to a five-year plan and extended to use through February 2027.