Do power lines and protected areas present a catch-22 situation for Cape vultures (Gyps coprotheres)?

ABSTRACT: Cape vulture Gyps coprotheres populations have declined across their range due to multiple anthropogenic threats. Their susceptibility to fatal collisions with the expanding power line network and the prevalence of carcasses contaminated with illegal poisons and other threats outside protected areas are thought to be the primary drivers of declines in southern Africa. We used GPS-GSM units to track the movements and delineate the home ranges of five adult (mean ±SD minimum convex polygon area = 121,655±90,845 km(2)) and four immature (mean ±SD minimum convex polygon area = 492,300±259,427 km(2)) Cape vultures to investigate the influence of power lines and their use of protected areas. The vultures travelled more than 1,000 km from the capture site and collectively entered five different c

SUBMITTER: Phipps WL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3793913 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature