SEO Riders:
– Nigeria joins West Africa Action Plan, targeting belief-based poisoning and illegal trade.
– Forestry Directorate commits to community‑led anti‑poison campaigns and habitat monitoring.
– Plan aligns with WAVCAP 2023–2043, aiming to restore threatened vulture populations.
The Director of Forestry in Nigeria has disclosed that a specialised national action plan has been developed to reverse the dramatic decline of vultures, aligning with the regional West African Vulture Conservation Action Plan (WAVCAP 2023–2043). Under this initiative, Nigeria will join 15 other West African nations to tackle the root causes of vulture loss—particularly poisoning linked to belief-based use, illegal trade in body parts, and habitat degradation. With vulture populations in some regions plummeting by up to 97%, this coordinated strategy aims to halt and ultimately reverse declines through strengthened legal enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and policy action.
Nigeria’s campaign under the plan will feature community‑led monitoring, anti-poison rapid response teams, and engagement with traditional healers to promote plant‑based alternatives—strategies proven to reduce vulture mortality elsewhere in West Africa. The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), BirdLife International, and Forestry Department are collaborating on vulture safe zones, including capacity training and market surveys, to curb trade in vulture parts. This locally anchored action complements the broader regional objectives of WAVCAP—to restore vulture populations to sustainable levels, secure legal protection, and support healthy ecosystems by 2043.
