Researchers recently reported finding three critically endangered vulture species nesting in Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest protected area. It’s the first scientific observation of hooded vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus) nesting in the park, and the first report of white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) and white-headed vultures (Trigonoceps occipitalis) nesting anywhere in the country. The findings are published in The Journal of Raptor Research. “The fact that Mole National Park has three out of the four critically endangered African vulture species just shows how vital it is to support these protected areas,” paper co-author Nico Arcilla, president of the International Bird Conservation Partnership, told Mongabay in an interview. The researchers say Mole National Park may serve as a last stronghold for these species in Ghana, particularly the white-headed vulture. “We have no evidence that it’s anywhere else in Ghana,” Arcilla said. “There may be, hopefully, other areas where they might be in Ghana, where they simply haven’t been seen.” Between 2020 and 2022, researchers spent 31 days in the field in Mole searching for vultures, covering around 761 square kilometers (294 square miles) of the 4,840-km2 (1,869-mi2) park on foot and in trucks. Overall, they estimated populations of 29-36 hooded vultures, 25-73 white-backed vultures, and only three or four white-headed vultures. Crucially, they found six hooded vulture nests, 10 white-backed vulture nests and one white-headed vulture nest. While the researchers didn’t spot Africa’s fourth critically endangered vulture species, Rüppell’s vulture (Gyps rueppelli), they say the species may be a rare visitor to the…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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