Close to the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve is the Barry Porter Memorial Vulture Viewing Hide. Visitors and photographers are able to watch Cape Vultures in their natural habitat. Oribi buck and Black-backed Jackal may also be seen.
Oribi Cape Vulture Colony is situated within farm property on a steep cliff face with panoramic views.
From the meeting point, it is a short drive through cane fields then a short walk to the view sites allowing you good vantage over the roosting and nesting places on the cliff face.
Some 30 years ago, the farmer encouraged a colony of about 30 Cape Vultures to flourish. Today there are 94 known pairs using the cliff face to breed. A highly successful program.
With around just 8000 Cape Vultures left in the wild, this is a significant colony. Here, you will gain an understanding of the threats to the Cape Vulture’s survival.
Farmers drop off supplementary food in the form of dead animals at the hide sometimes. You may not always see them feeding at this Vulture Restaurant as an animal is stripped to bone in a very short time.
Their wingspan is massive – up to 2.6 metres. Jumping off the cliff face they attempt to go straight into a glide and glide all the way to their feeding area. If the thermals are not good enough, they return flapping strongly. They seldom need to flap their wings except on takeoff after feeding. Once in the air, they need minimal energy to get home.
They are curious and will sometimes do a flypast, so you get a good look … so do they!
It is not only the Cape Vultures that have been seen at the site. Ruppell’s, White-backed, Palm-nut and Lappet-faced Vultures have also been recorded there but, infrequently.
” One of the highlights of our trip from the U.K. to South Africa.” Ian
ADVANCE BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL for a morning 2 hour trip with a superb guide, Andy.
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