New bird discovery a hoax
SOUTH Africa’s media were taken for a ride by a BirdLife South Africa campaign this week, and many took the bait hook, line and sinker.
While seen by some as a unique and effective awareness campaign, for others it was a silly stunt that backfired horribly.
After claiming the discovery of a new species of bird, the “Tuluver”, that looked a bit like a vulture, the authoritative bird conservation group later revealed that the image of the beautiful “new bird” was a photoshopped image. It said the bird had been discovered at Mapungubwe, in Limpopo.
The aim of the campaign was to ask why people got so excited about a new species, yet were slow to mourn the loss of dangerously endangered birds. The campaign was used to raise awareness before International Vulture Awareness Day, on Saturday.
Publications like The Witness and the Saturday Star covered the “discovery”, believing it to be authentic.
Comment also swept Facebook and Twitter (@Ruffled_feather) and a range of reactions were received once it was revealed that the story was a hoax.
Many praised BirdLife, saying it had implemented an innovative campaign and unexpected message. Others said they worried about the organisation’s credibility and whether it could be trusted in future.
BirdLife chief executive Mark Anderson apologised for any offence or upset over the campaign. However, he said he believed the campaign helped achieve the intended interest.
He explained how vultures were often overlooked as being ugly and dirty, and elicited little sympathy from the public.
The photoshopped bird had some of the important characteristics of a vulture, but had been made more “traditionally beautiful”.
A video posted online shows the editing of the original Lappet-faced Vulture picture.
Vultures were vitally important to the environment and to humans, said Anderson. The campaign had been the biggest BirdLife had staged.