Abstract:
Vultures in the Gyps genus are declining globally. Multiple threats related to human activity have caused widespread
declines of vulture populations in Africa, especially outside protected areas. Addressing such threats requires the estimation
of foraging ranges yet such estimates are lacking, even for widespread (but declining) species such as the African whitebacked
vulture (Gyps africanus). We tracked six immature African white-backed vultures in South Africa using GPS-GSM units
to study their movement patterns, their use of protected areas and the time they spent in the vicinity of supplementary
feeding sites. All individuals foraged widely; their combined foraging ranges extended into six countries in southern Africa
(mean (6 SE) minimum convex polygon area = 269,1036197,187 km2) and three of the vultures travelled more than
900 km from the capture site. All six vultures spent the majority of their tracking periods outside protected areas. South
African protected areas were very rarely visited whereas protected areas in northern Botswana and Zimbabwe were used
more frequently. Two of the vultures visited supplementary feeding sites regularly, with consequent reduced ranging
behaviour, suggesting that individuals could alter their foraging behaviour in response to such sites. We show that
immature African white-backed vultures are capable of travelling throughout southern Africa, yet use protected areas to
only a limited extent, making them susceptible to the full range of threats in the region. The standard approach of
designating protected areas to conserve species is unlikely to ensure the protection of such wide-ranging species against
threats in the wider landscape.
