In a Nigerian village, locals protect vultures as hunting drives the birds toward extinction elsewhere in Africa
As vulture populations collapse across Africa due to hunting and habitat loss, one south-eastern Nigerian community has turned a sacred forest into a safe haven for the birds. A volunteer nicknamed the 'Vulture King' has helped local numbers grow from about 20 to over 160 in six years.
While vultures have vanished from the skies over many West African cities, one small community in south-eastern Nigeria offers a striking exception. In Awka-Etiti, around a sacred forest dedicated to a deity called Nguma, residents not only refrain from hunting vultures but regard the birds as a good omen — their presence after a sacrifice is believed to signal that the deity has accepted the offering.
Local resident Chukwuemeka Igwe, nicknamed the 'Vulture King' for his volunteer work with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), explains that indigenous residents don't hunt vultures; instead, remains from animal sacrifices at the shrine naturally attract the birds.
A vital ecological role
Though often seen as unattractive, scientists say vultures perform one of nature's most important cleaning functions, consuming carcasses within hours and preventing the spread of dangerous bacteria and diseases such as anthrax and rabies. NCF conservation biologist Stella Egbe notes that in areas where vulture populations have collapsed entirely, zoonotic diseases have risen.
According to BirdLife International, poisoning accounts for an estimated 60% of vulture deaths in Africa, and seven vulture species on the continent are now classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered. African vulture populations have fallen by 80% to 97% over the past 50 years. Beyond habitat loss from urbanisation, a major driver of decline is the use of vulture body parts in traditional medicine and Vodun practices — the price of a dead vulture in Nigeria has risen from roughly 25,000-30,000 naira to as much as 200,000 naira per bird in recent years.
Community action shows results
Over the past six years, Igwe has worked with the NCF to mobilise community leaders and security teams to protect the birds from outside hunters, helping establish local bylaws for their protection. Volunteer monitors have now recorded more than 160 vultures, up from about 20 in 2017. A Nigerian customs official acknowledges the country has become a hub for illegal vulture trafficking, adding that enforcement alone won't succeed without public understanding of why the species needs protecting.
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