Power lines and wind farms continue to devastate South Africa’s critically endangered vulture populations as expanding human development increasingly encroaches on vital habitat, forcing these beautiful and misunderstood birds into deadly conflict with infrastructure.
Recent data from Vulpro, South Africa’s leading vulture conservation organisation, reveals the shocking scale of the crisis: 191 vultures (Cape, White-backed, and Lappet-faced) were reported dead or injured due to powerlines over a five year period between 2020 and 2025. In a single year alone, approximately 40 vulture fatalities were recorded due to powerline-related incidents, with an average of three vultures per month lost to electrocution or collision. Since Vulpro’s inception they have recorded a total of 473 fatalities. These figures likely underrepresent the true mortality rates as many incidents go unreported.
“In the past month alone, we’ve responded to multiple vulture emergencies—birds with severe burns, broken wings, and traumatic injuries after colliding with power infrastructure,” said Kerri Wolter, CEO and Founder of Vulpro. “These magnificent birds arrive barely clinging to life. Without immediate intervention, none would survive.”
The crisis extends beyond Cape Vultures to include other endangered species like White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures. With some vulture populations having declined by more than 90% in certain regions, every individual bird becomes crucial for species survival.
Collision incidents (powerline, wind turbine and electrocution events), occur when vultures forage widely and have to navigate many obstacles in their way to find food and roosting spots. Roosting birds may cause a short circuit on the powerlines, when they defecate. During severe storms they may be blown off their pylon perches into the cables by strong winds. They sometimes will also fly into the cables as it is relatively difficult to see in the air. All these can lead to broken wings or legs, or even electrocution. Wind turbines move very fast and a vulture thermalling nearby may be carried into the blade’s path.
Policy Implementation Challenges
Over the years, Vulpro has worked closely with Eskom and other authorities to investigate and find ways to implement mitigation measures at powerlines in the hope they will reduce future collisions. In 2022, the Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for vultures was finalised in which Vulpro played a pivotal role in establishing.
“While the BMP framework is a crucial step forward, its implementation has been hampered by systemic challenges,” explains Wolter. “We continue to work with government agencies to strengthen implementation, but the urgency of the vulture crisis requires accelerated action from all stakeholders.”
For the BMP to succeed it requires that all stakeholders play their role. Government entities must enforce regulations and provide funding; all conservation organisations involved need to conduct research, rehabilitation, and community education; private landowners should preserve habitats and report incidents; traditional leaders must promote sustainable practices that reduce demand for vulture parts; the energy sector should retrofit infrastructure with bird-safe designs and conduct thorough impact assessments; and academia needs to study population dynamics while developing conservation training programmes.
Wolter feels this is just not happening and more needs to be done. As of 2025, she says that of the 538 incidents that were reported, only 276 have been adequately addressed and resolved, while another 134 remain open and pending investigation and 279 have been closed but with questionable outcomes. Without accurate reporting, data gaps are emerging. Electrocutions and powerline collisions have risen by 1166% from three in 2012 to 38 in 2024. And rescues to save vultures from the trade in their parts for belief-based purposes now occur almost daily.
Is there hope?
Amid these challenges, some renewable energy operators are pioneering solutions. The Golden Valley Wind Farm in the Eastern Cape Province has implemented comprehensive vulture protection measures across its 48 turbines, including cutting-edge bird detection technology, buffer zones around nesting sites, and seasonal operational adjustments during migration periods.
They recognise their responsibility to generate clean energy without compromising biodiversity. Their monitoring data shows a significant reduction in vulture mortality since implementing these measures, proving that renewable energy and conservation can coexist when proper precautions are taken.
Proven solutions and Vulpro’s comprehensive approach
With the renewable energy market in South Africa projected to reach 20.06bn kWh in 2025 vultures remain vulnerable to human progress. Vulpro’s multifaceted approach demonstrates that effective interventions are possible, with powerline surveys identifying high-risk structures, retrofitting of dangerous powerlines reducing electrocution rates, and bird flight diverters decreasing collision mortality by up to 92% globally. For example, recommendations have been made to fit the Lydenburg-Sabie 132kV power line with bird flight diverters to prevent collisions and install bird guards to minimize electrocutions.
Beyond rehabilitation, Vulpro conducts essential research, runs captive breeding programmes, coordinates releases, provides monitoring, and community education initiatives that form a comprehensive conservation strategy.
“Every vulture matters—our integrated approach of rescue, breeding, research, and education aims to not only save individual birds but strengthen wild populations while advocating for the systemic changes needed across all energy infrastructure. But we cannot do this alone. We need all stakeholders to do their part,” says Kerri Wolter, CEO and Founder of Vulpro.
Vulpro is dedicated to safeguarding Africa’s vulture populations through rescue, rehabilitation, breeding, research, and education. Learn more and help us rewrite the story at www.vulpro.com
