Last month, the NSPCA Wildlife Protection Unit (WPU) was alerted to a distressing incident involving an attempt to sell a Cape vulture via Facebook. The images provided alongside the complaint were truly alarming, depicting the vulture restrained by a nylon rope tethered to a steel bar.
Despite the absence of specific details regarding the seller or the vulture’s whereabouts, the determined efforts of the WPU led them to Rouxville, Freestate, situated in South Africa. Acting swiftly, the WPU collaborated closely with the local South African Police Service, engaging with community members to gather crucial information that ultimately led to the identification of the seller’s address.
Upon arrival, the Wildlife Protection Unit encountered a scene that chilled them to the bone: a Cape vulture trapped within a steel cage, surrounded by a perilous jumble of objects, its basic needs ignored. What struck the team was the vulture’s eerie calm, devoid of any attempt to flee or fight—an unsettling departure from its natural instincts.
The seller’s tale was grim: a wild creature captured on a whim, now a commodity for profit. The WPU wasted no time in launching an investigation, gathering evidence to press charges against the perpetrator.
Thankfully, the vulture was liberated from its grim fate and whisked away for urgent veterinary attention. Now, under the tender care of Vulpro, an NSPCA Accredited Facility, it has the chance to heal and reclaim its freedom.