ASSESSING MORTALITY OF AFRICAN VULTURES USING WING TAGS AND GSM-GPS TRANSMITTERS

作者：Kendall Corinne J^*; Virani Munir Z

来源：Journal of Raptor Research, 2012, 46(1): 135-140.

• White-backed Vulture
• Gyps africanus
• Lappet-faced Vulture
• Torgos tracheliotos
• GSM-GPS transmitters
• mortality
• satellite
• vulture
• wing tagging

We used GSM-CPS transmitters to study mortality in three species of vultures in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. GSM-GPS transmitters were a cost-effective alternative to traditional satellite telemetry. In combination with data from a wing-tagging study, GSM-GPS units provided evidence of high mortality in African vultures, particularly White-backed Vultures (Gyps africanus) and Lappet-faced Vultures (Towns tracheliotos). Four of seventy-eight wing-tagged Attires were reported dead in a 6-yr period following attachment, whereas 4 of 17 GSM-GPS-tagged vultures were confirmed dead within a year of attachment, based on collection of dead bird or unit, indicating annual mortality of up to 33% for some species in East Africa. Poisoning was confirmed as the cause of death in four of these cases and was suspected in the majority of deaths recorded.

• 出版日期2012-3