AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING GETAWAY

VULTURE SPOTTING

Let’s be honest, vultures have a bad reputation. These scavenging birds often inspire fear, mistrust, and repugnance. Nonetheless, vultures play an essential role in the ecosystem as recycling agents of organic matter – they clean the environment of thousands of carcasses, and control the propagation of disease such as rabies, anthrax, and botulism.

In 2015, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) reassessed the conservation status of these raptors, and the picture they painted was bleak, with a worsening threat status for six of the 11 African species.Three species are now classified as endangered, while four others are considered to be critically endangered.

Amazingly, though, a number of vultures have made De Hoop their home. The activities offered at De Hoop now include vulture hikes and viewing opportunities in the Potberg Mountains on the reserve.The steep cliffs along the mountain provide the perfect habitat for the Cape vultures, of which a

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A HOLIDAY THAT COMBINES MULTIPLE NATURAL ELEMENTS, ACTIVITIES, AND PAMPERING, THEN LOOK NO FURTHER THAN DE HOOP NATURE RESERVE IN THE OVERBERG REGION OF THE WESTERN CAPE.