KwaZulu-Natal recorded its first active hooded vulture nest during the 2025 Zululand Vulture Project aerial survey. The find represents the southernmost breeding site ever documented for the critically endangered species, conservationists say.
According to the Zululand Vulture Project, the hooded vulture population in South Africa is estimated at only 50-100 breeding pairs. Little is known about its breeding behaviour, making the confirmed nest a significant data point for conservation planning.
The aerial survey was carried out by Wildlife ACT in collaboration with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and The Bateleurs. Conducted every five years, it tracks vulture populations across Zululand and complements fixed-wing and ground-based monitoring. Preliminary results showed a slight increase in lappet-faced vulture nests in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve and some growth in African white-backed vulture colonies. However, no white-headed vulture nests were found – a pattern first recorded in 2018.
“Vultures are among the most threatened bird species in South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal remains a critical region for their survival. The loss of white-headed vultures is a sobering reminder of what can happen if threats go unchecked while the confirmation of a hooded vulture nest offers hope and renewed urgency for protecting these birds and the ecosystems they support,” says Brent Coverdale, Animal Scientist: Mammals and Birds at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
Poisoning remains the leading cause of vulture deaths in South Africa. The Zululand Vulture Project finds that deliberate poisonings in KwaZulu-Natal are often linked to illegal trade in traditional medicine or predator control while accidental poisonings result from lead ammunition fragments or veterinary drugs.
The discovery will feed into the national Multi-Species Biodiversity Management Plan for Vultures in South Africa (gazetted in 2024). Wildlife ACT Co-Founder Chris Kelly and Coverdale were among those involved in drafting the plan, which sets out national actions to halt vulture declines and support recovery.
