BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA
MEDIA
RELEASE
Cape Vultures killed at wind
farms
Johannesburg, 6 April 2017: African’s vultures are in trouble. Most old-world vultures (vultures found
in Africa, Europe, and Asia) have faced severe population declines and are on
the edge of extinction. The Cape Vulture is found only in southern Africa, which
means that South Africa has a special responsibility to protect this species. This
vulture was recently up-listed from “Vulnerable” to “Endangered”[1], and
the species faces numerous threats including poisoning and collisions with and
electrocution on powerlines. Scientists predict that increased temperatures
associated with global climate change may also negatively impact Cape Vultures.
Ironically, a major part of our strategy to minimize climate change – wind
energy – may pose a new threat to these endangered birds.
“It is with great sadness that we share news of the first Cape Vultures
fatalities as a result of collisions with wind turbines” said Samantha
Ralston-Paton, Birds and Renewable Energy Project Manager at BirdLife South
Africa. “As far as we know, these are the first incidents of this kind for the
species” she said. To date four Cape Vulture fatalities as a result of turbine
collisions have been reported to BirdLife South Africa[2].
The collisions were expected and have confirmed conservationists’
concerns that Cape Vultures and wind farms are not compatible. Other vulture
species (e.g. the Eurasian Griffon Vulture) have experienced high fatality
rates at wind farms in Spain, and the Cape Vulture is ranked as the top
priority in BirdLife South Africa’s list of bird species likely to be
vulnerable to the impacts of wind energy.
“It is a challenge to find a balance between wind energy and bird
conservation,” notes Samantha. “Climate change is a significant threat to our
environment and to our well-being, and healthy ecosystems are our main line of
defense. We need renewable energy, but it must be developed with respect for
nature,” she said.
The most widely accepted strategy to minimize wind energy’s negative
effects is to place wind turbines outside of areas regularly used by
collision-prone birds. Vultures travel many kilometers from their colonies and
roosts, and according to BirdLife South Africa, this implies that large areas
may be unsuitable for the development of wind farms. One of the wind farms that
reported Cape Vulture fatalities is located approximated 20 km from the nearest
known vulture roost, and the other is approximately 12 km from a temporary
roost.
“We have come a long way since the first wind farms received
environmental approval. The impact assessments for the two wind farms where the
mortalities were recorded were completed before BirdLife South Africa and the
Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Best Practice Guidelines for monitoring and impact
assessment were adopted, and we also now recommend, and are seeing, much more
rigorous impact assessments where wind farms are proposed within the range of
Cape Vulture” notes Samantha.
“We are grateful that post-construction monitoring data are being gathered
and shared with us. This is not the norm in many countries elsewhere in the
world. So far only a small number of vultures have been affected, but it is
important that we learn from and respond to these experiences as quickly as possible
to make sure the number of mortalities stays low. Sharing this information also
gives us an opportunity to engage with decision-makers, wind farms, bird
specialists and researchers to try find solutions”.
Both wind farms have committed to implement further mitigation measures,
including actively searching for and removing any animal carcasses in the area.
This will reduce the likelihood of vultures visiting the wind farms in search
of food. The risk of collisions can also be minimized by stopping turbines
turning when vultures are observed in the vicinity of the wind farm. This
strategy has been implemented at one of the wind farms, and is being considered
at the other.
BirdLife South Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust and VulPro have
recently issued a statement highlighting their concern around ambitions to
develop wind farms in the Eastern Cape. Two Renewable Energy Development Zones
proposed by the Department of Environmental Affairs’ draft Strategic
Environmental Assessment for Wind and Solar Energy overlap with areas regularly
used by Cape Vultures[3]. “A
recent study by the CSIR[4]
has confirmed that the wind resource in South Africa is excellent in most
areas, and we believe there is no need to develop in high risk areas” notes
Samantha.
Now that there is evidence the Cape Vultures are at risk at wind farms,
the challenge for conservationists and environmentalists is to make sure that the
number of vultures affected remains low. “One of BirdLife South Africa’s roles
is to make sure that birds do not get overlooked as we scramble to find
solutions to the climate change crisis” Samantha concluded.
More
on Vultures
Vultures clean our landscapes and help to prevent the spread of disease. Many Old
World Vultures are under threat of extinction. Counties are coming together
address the plight of these bird and a Multi-Species Action Plan to conserve
African-Eurasian Vultures has been
drafted, launched by the Coordinating Unit of the Convention on
Migratory Species (CMS) Raptors MOU, in collaboration with BirdLife
International, Vulture Conservation Foundation and the IUCN Vulture Specialist
Group. (The CMS Raptors MoU is the Memorandum of Understanding on the
Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia—an
international, legally non-binding agreement to protect migratory birds of
prey.)
BirdLife South Africa
BirdLife South Africa is the country partner of
BirdLife International, a global partnership of
conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and
global biodiversity, by working with people towards sustainability in the use
of natural resources. BirdLife International partners operate in more than 100
countries and territories worldwide. BirdLife South Africa works with
government, scientists and industry help ensure that impacts of renewable
energy on birds are understood and minimised.
BirdLife South
Africa relies on donor funding and financial support from the public to carry
out its critical conservation work. Investec Corporate and Institutional Banking
(a division of Investec Bank Limited) sponsors BirdLife South Africa’s Birds
and Renewable Energy Project Manager.
For more
information, visit www.birdlife.org.za
