Uses of Vultures in Traditional Medicines in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa

Mashele, N. Mbali; Thompson, Lindy J.; Downs, Colleen T.

doi:10.3356/jrr-20-36

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…This is perhaps surprising in light of the results of McKean (2004), Boakye et al . (2019), and Mashele et al (2021), who suggested that poisoning of vultures for belief-based use is indiscriminate of species. However, in West Africa, the other vulture species are now confined to protected areas and the Hooded Vulture is the only vulture species that is seen close to human settlements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trade in vulture parts in West Africa: Burkina Faso may be one of the main sources of vulture carcasses

Daboné

Ouéda

Thompson

et al. 2022

Bird Conservation International

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Summary The current catastrophic decline in African vultures is caused mainly by poisoning, and killing for consumption and belief-based use (traditional medicine). To find out more about the key threats to vultures in West Africa, we assessed the main anthropogenic causes of vulture mortality in Burkina Faso. We analysed incidents of mass vulture mortality, based on interviews conducted in 2016 with local butchers, veterinarians, foresters, and abattoir watchmen at 44 sites across the country. A total of 730 interviews revealed that poisoning was the main cause of mortality of vultures in Burkina Faso (20 of the 23 mass mortality incidents described by respondents were caused by poisoning). Poisoning was also the most lethal threat to vultures (779 out of 879 known vulture deaths were due to poisoning). According to the survey, intentional poisoning of vultures with poisoned baits (which comprised 15 out of 23 mass mortality incidents) produced the highest number of victims (577 out of 879 dead vultures). The number of vultures killed by poisoned baits was higher closer to the borders than elsewhere in Burkina Faso and we believe these recent intentional vulture poisoning events in Burkina Faso were intended to meet the growing demand for vulture body parts in West Africa. The survey showed that unintentional poisoning was the second main cause of vulture mass mortality (5 out of 23 mass mortality incidents comprising 202 of 879 dead vultures). Other important anthropogenic causes of vulture mortality included electrocution at electricity poles and motor vehicle collisions. Our results highlight the need for awareness campaigns, improved policy and legislation, and stronger commitment from governments in West Africa, to halt the trade in vultures and prevent their extirpation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trade in vulture parts in West Africa: Burkina Faso may be one of the main sources of vulture carcasses

Daboné

Ouéda

Thompson

et al. 2022

Bird Conservation International

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“…Traditional or belief-based medicine, commonly known as "muthi" in southern Africa, refers to substances containing plant and/or animal material for medicinal and/or spiritual use (Mashele et al, 2021). The use of animals and plants as traditional remedies for medical purposes has a long history of cultural importance in South Africa (Williams and Whiting, 2016), where more than 200,000 traditional healers are considered highly valued and esteemed members across many communities (Nieman et al, 2019;Mthembu, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wildlife trade can also have widespread repercussions for ecosystems and communities; pesticides and other poisons are increasingly used to harvest wildlife for the commercial trade in traditional medicine (Ogada, 2014), the effects of which cascade out to threaten human, wildlife, and ecosystem health as they indiscriminately poison non-target species (Gore et al, 2020). This is particularly concerning in cases where such activities occur in or near protected areas, such as the vulture populations targeted for use in traditional medicine close to the Kruger National Park (Mashele et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Particular focus was placed on exploring the socioeconomic value of lions due to their frequently cited status as a commonly traded and profitable species within the traditional medicine market, both in South Africa and internationally (Williams et al, 2017a). Employing interviews with traditional healers to identify socio-economic aspects of the industry can provide preliminary information about the nature of consumer demand for wild animal based traditional medicine and the current availability of plant-based alternatives (D'Cruze et al, 2020a), as well as developing a better understanding of product prices for specific species, local purchasing power, and practitioner and consumer behavior and preferences at a fine resolution (Nieman et al, 2019;Mashele et al, 2021). Given the global relevance of the wildlife based traditional medicine, the demand for African species' products in other parts of the world, and their cultural importance for belief-based uses within South Africa (Nieman et al, 2019;Assou et al, 2021), insights into the socio-economic dimensions of this type of wildlife trade can help inform approaches to managing related pressures exerted on wild populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wildlife Trade for Belief-Based Use: Insights From Traditional Healers in South Africa

et al. 2022

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The use of animals and plants as traditional remedies for medical and magico-religious purposes has a long history of socio-cultural and economic importance in South Africa. Herein, we aim to characterize the social and economic value of wild animal species used in traditional, belief-based medicine within South Africa from traditional healers’ perspective and to explore healers’ knowledge of plant-based alternatives to wildlife-based derivatives for this type of trade. Through structured surveys with five traditional healers, we sought to gain insight into the range of wild animal species used, as well as the purpose, the perceived commercial value and the perceived availability of commonly used species. Particular focus was placed on exploring the socio-economic value of lions due to their prominence within the traditional medicine market, both in South Africa and internationally. Three of the respondents interviewed had been generating an income from traditional healing for between 30 and 50 years, and the overall monetary gain across all respondents was between ZAR 30,000 (1,800 USD) and 120,000 (7,200 USD) per annum. Our study confirms that a wide range of wild animal species are used in traditional healing practices in South Africa, for both medicinal and magico-religious purposes. The traditional healers we interviewed cited 20 common wild animals from a range of vertebrate classes including birds, reptiles, mammals, and one invertebrate. These included a number of species listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Traditional healers cited 32 different uses for wild animal parts, as well as 19 alternative plant-based preparations. For lions specifically, four out of five practitioners listed lions among their top three profitable derivatives and three practitioners reported that lion had become the most rare or unavailable species in the last 5 years. Although our study is based on a limited number of interview participants, we believe that our findings provide valuable initial insights into the socio-economic drivers of traditional healing practices in South Africa, and that further research quantifying medicinal and belief-based use of wild animal ingredients and their plant-based alternatives could help to inform approaches to managing related pressures exerted on wild populations in South Africa in the future.

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“…Exposure to spent lead ammunition from hunting and culling activities is another threat (Garbett et al, 2018; Krüger & Amar, 2018; Plaza & Lambertucci, 2018; van den Heever et al, 2019). Cultural and religious practices pose an additional threat to endangered Old World vulture populations (MaMing & Xu, 2015; Nikolaus, 2011; Ogada et al, 2012), with vultures being deliberately poisoned with agrochemicals for eventual use in traditional medicine and food, and for ceremonial purposes (Maphisa, 1997; Mashele et al, 2021).…”

Section: Documented Threats Of Contaminants To Old World Vulturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Old World Vultures Reflect Effects of Environmental Pollutants Through Human Encroachment

Krüger

Botha

Coverdale

et al. 2022

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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African wildlife face challenges from many stressors including current and emerging contaminants, habitat and resource loss, poaching, intentional and unintentional poisoning, and climate‐related environmental change. The plight of African vultures exemplifies these challenges due to environmental contaminants and other stressors acting on individuals and populations that are already threatened or endangered. Many of these threats emanate from increasing human population size and settlement density, habitat loss from changing land use for agriculture, residential areas, and industry, and climate‐related changes in resource availability. Environmental chemicals that are hazardous include legacy chemicals, emerging chemicals of concern, and high‐volume‐use chemicals that are employed as weed killers and in other agricultural applications. Furthermore, there are differences in risk for species living in close proximity to humans or in areas affected by habitat loss, climate, and industry. Monitoring programs are essential to track the status of nesting pairs, offspring survival, longevity, and lifetime productivity. This is important for long‐lived birds, such as vultures, that may be especially vulnerable to chronic exposure to chemicals as obligate scavengers. Furthermore, their position in the food web may increase risk due to biomagnification of chemicals. We review the primary chemical hazards to Old World vultures and the interacting stressors affecting these and other birds. Habitat is a major consideration for vultures, with tree‐nesters and cliff‐nesters potentially experiencing different risks of exposure to environmental chemicals. The present review provides information from long‐term monitoring programs and discusses a range of these threats and their effects on vulture populations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1586–1603. © 2022 SETAC

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Uses of Vultures in Traditional Medicines in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa

Cited by 11 publications

References 33 publications

Trade in vulture parts in West Africa: Burkina Faso may be one of the main sources of vulture carcasses

Trade in vulture parts in West Africa: Burkina Faso may be one of the main sources of vulture carcasses

Wildlife Trade for Belief-Based Use: Insights From Traditional Healers in South Africa

Old World Vultures Reflect Effects of Environmental Pollutants Through Human Encroachment

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