{"title":"Trends in the Admission of Raptors to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Limpopo Province, South Africa","authors":"N. Mashele, Lindy J. Thompson, C. Downs","doi":"10.1080/15627020.2021.2016073","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Raptors have crucial functions, both ecologically and as environmental indicators. Currently, many raptor species worldwide are threatened, and the potential loss of functional groups will yield dire consequences. We identified the trends and causes of raptor admissions to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Limpopo province, South Africa, using information from the case files of 629 individual raptors from 44 species that were admitted between 1996 (month unspecified) and February 2018. The most frequently admitted raptor species were the Western Barn Owl Tyto alba (n = 130), Spotted Eagle-owl Bubo africanus (n = 81) and White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (n = 53). Raptors came from as far away as Ghana, although most of the birds were from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, South Africa. In 48% of cases (n = 304), the causes of injuries were not documented. Of the 252 cases in which the causes of injury were recorded, the most frequent causes of injury (for all raptor species combined) were poisoning (23%, n = 59), followed by motor vehicle collisions (17%, n = 43), falls from nests (10%, n = 25), and collisions with fences (8%, n = 20). For the 516 individuals for which the outcome was known, the most common outcome was ‘release’ (37%, n = 193). Our results highlight the impact of poisoning on raptors and underpin the need for increased public education about the ecological and cultural importance of raptors, and the threats that raptors face.","PeriodicalId":55548,"journal":{"name":"African Zoology","volume":"57 1","pages":"56 - 63"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6000,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"African Zoology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2021.2016073","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ZOOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Raptors have crucial functions, both ecologically and as environmental indicators. Currently, many raptor species worldwide are threatened, and the potential loss of functional groups will yield dire consequences. We identified the trends and causes of raptor admissions to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Limpopo province, South Africa, using information from the case files of 629 individual raptors from 44 species that were admitted between 1996 (month unspecified) and February 2018. The most frequently admitted raptor species were the Western Barn Owl Tyto alba (n = 130), Spotted Eagle-owl Bubo africanus (n = 81) and White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (n = 53). Raptors came from as far away as Ghana, although most of the birds were from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, South Africa. In 48% of cases (n = 304), the causes of injuries were not documented. Of the 252 cases in which the causes of injury were recorded, the most frequent causes of injury (for all raptor species combined) were poisoning (23%, n = 59), followed by motor vehicle collisions (17%, n = 43), falls from nests (10%, n = 25), and collisions with fences (8%, n = 20). For the 516 individuals for which the outcome was known, the most common outcome was ‘release’ (37%, n = 193). Our results highlight the impact of poisoning on raptors and underpin the need for increased public education about the ecological and cultural importance of raptors, and the threats that raptors face.
期刊介绍:
African Zoology , a peer-reviewed research journal, publishes original scientific contributions and critical reviews that focus principally on African fauna in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. Research from other regions that advances practical and theoretical aspects of zoology will be considered. Rigorous question-driven research in all aspects of zoology will take precedence over descriptive research. The Journal publishes full-length papers, critical reviews, short communications, letters to the editors as well as book reviews. Contributions based on purely observational, descriptive or anecdotal data will not be considered.
The Journal is produced by NISC in association with the Zoological Society of South Africa (ZSSA). Acceptance of papers is the responsibility of the Editors-in-Chief in consultation with the Editors and members of the Editorial Advisory Board. All views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Editors or the Department.