Foraging ranges of immature African white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) and their use of protected areas in southern Africa.

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 white-backed 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 (± SE) minimum convex polygon area =269,103±197,187 km(2)) an

SUBMITTER: Phipps WL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3559650 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature