How to build a vulture trap

Last month I spent a month in Mbuluzi Game Reserve in Swaziland attempting to build a walk-in trap that will allow me to capture vultures. I want to be able to tag the birds with GPS trackers and ask a host of interesting questions from which a flood of Nature papers will follow.

Step 1 - Clear the area — Step 1 – Clear the area

Step 2 - Create some support for the poles — Step 2 – Create some support for the poles

Step 3 - Erect the frame — Step 3 – Erect the frame

Step 4 - Add the mesh — Step 4 – Add the mesh

Step 5 - bait the area (this sickly Waterbuck had died) — Step 5 – bait the area (this sickly Waterbuck had died)

Step 6 - record everything that comes down — Step 6 – record everything that comes down

Step 7 - play the waiting game (perching African White-backed Vultures) — Step 7 – play the waiting game (perching African White-backed Vultures)

We’ll have to wait for the vultures to get habituated to the area before adding the front to the trap. Once this happens we can proceed. So this is a ‘to be continued’…

Author

Adam Kane: kanead[at]tcd.ie

Photo credit

Adam Kane

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