Persistent electrocution mortality of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus over 28 years in East Africa

2012/03/28 by Ivaylo Angelov, Ibrahim A. Hashim, Steffen Oppel · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Medicine · #Avian ecology and behavior #Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses #Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation #Electrocution #Geography #Population #Power (physics) #Demography #Zoology #Ancient history #Medicine #History #Biology #Medical emergency #Environmental health #Sociology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s0959270912000123

openalex publication_date 2012/03/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Summary Electrocution on poorly designed power poles is increasingly shown to pose a threat for the populations of many large raptors. Here we document that a power line in Sudan continues to cause mortality of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus , a problem that was first identified in 1984. We suggest that this power line may have caused the death of sufficient Egyptian Vultures to partially explain population declines in the Middle East, from where the electrocuted birds may originate. This report highlights the urgent need to plan and retro-fit power lines in Africa with non-lethal support structures.

Citations

• Severe decline of large birds in the Northern Sahel of West Africa: a long-term assessment
• Poison-related mortality effects in the endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) population in Spain
• Avian collisions with power lines: a global review of causes and mitigation with a South African perspective

Cited by

• Egyptian vulture [wikipedia]

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