Vultures are disappearing in Nigeria - but the 'Vulture King' is fighting to reverse the trend

Vultures are disappearing across many West African cities, and conservation groups warn traditional hunting linked to spiritual beliefs and other practices is pushing several species toward near extinction. The loss matters because vultures remove dead animals quickly, reducing the risk of disease spread; in areas where they have collapsed, rising zoonotic illnesses have followed, according to Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) biologist Stella Egbe. In south-eastern Nigeria, however, residents of Awka-Etiti say they protect vultures through practices centered on a shrine dedicated to Nguma. Local volunteer Chukwuemeka Igwe, “King of Vulture,” says indigenous people don’t hunt them and that animal sacrifices attract the birds.