Rising demand from traditional healers and church ...

Rising demand from traditional healers and church leaders threatens vultures with extinction

Zim Now Writer

Special birds, especially vultures, face extinction in the face of spiking demand on the illegal market as traditional healers and church leaders rush to purchase them, a survey has revealed.

The birds have flooded markets as their parts are superstitiously believed to possess powers to heal, foretell and fortune-telling which lull people to their respective altars.

The vulture parts are also used by traditional healers for medicinal purposes.

A survey by environmental conservationists Birdlife Zimbabwe and the National University of Science and Technology conducted the survey to establish what is causing demand for these bird parts.

“We wanted to understand the drivers of what is causing demand for the vultures’ parts and in turn who are the people seeking them. We also wanted to assess the scale and severity of this trade.

“When we went around asking who was coming to purchase these parts, the dominant answers were prophets and members of the apostolic sect,” said Birdlife representative Benhilder Antonio.

Spiritual leaders have been mushrooming in Zimbabwe with theatrics that raise eyebrows with questions being raised over the source of their power.

Traditional healers associations have often denounced the use of animal parts.

According to researchers, vultures are endangered species in Zimbabwe which face threats of poaching and poisoning.

Vultures are protected animals under the sixth schedule of the Parks and Wildlife Act and possession of its parts may attract a jail term.

“This is where we are as a country. An increased awareness of these species and show people what our world is like without vultures.

“We need everyone to be on board as far as protecting vultures is concerned. We are trying to figure out if there are medicinal alternatives so that we protect these vultures,” said Antonio.