Chad’s vultures face poisoning and trade

Djekillamber Djekadjim, a researcher in Chad, investigated Hooded Vulture populations at 11 sites, 10 slaughterhouses and a landfill, in and around N'Djamena, Chad’s capital, and interviewed 93 local people about the birds.

Historically, Hooded Vultures thrived near people, helping with waste disposal, but habitat loss and declining wildlife have made slaughterhouses key food sources.

Djekadjim’s research revealed that six of the sites had no vultures at all, and the remaining five held only small numbers, between two and 33 birds, far fewer than seen in other West African locations. The study found that the amount of available food at a site did not reliably predict vulture presence. Though the largest slaughterhouse processed 100 to 250 cattle daily, no vultures were observed there during visits.

Vultures were more common at sites with more vegetation and fewer people, suggesting they may be avoiding disturbance or even active threats. Almost half of those interviewed reported knowledge of people poisoning vultures, and multiple officials confirmed that poisoning occurred at several slaughterhouses.

Additionally, over a third of respondents reported foreign poachers entering Chad from countries like Nigeria and Benin to capture vultures for trade, supporting evidence gathered from wildlife markets in Benin where traders admitted sourcing vultures from Chad and other nations. Despite these threats, most people in Chad recognize that vultures are legally protected and believe protecting them is important.