Rescue on the Brink: Gareth Tate and the Fight to Save Africa’s Vultures

Poachers laced an elephant carcass with poison in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, and by next morning 123 critically endangered vultures lay dead. Dozens more were barely clinging to life, sparking an urgent race to save them.

Amid this carnage, Gareth Tate – head of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Birds of Prey Programme – sprang into action. He hooked up a specialized “vulture ambulance,” gathered vets and rangers, and raced to the scene even enlisting a SANParks helicopter

Against all odds, 84 poisoned vultures were pulled back from the brink and rushed into rehabilitation. Within weeks, those survivors were healed and soaring free again.

Vultures are nature’s cleanup crew, crucial for keeping ecosystems healthy. Yet poisoning is a silent, brutal threat pushing them toward extinction. This episode tells an emotional story of tragedy, teamwork, and hope, highlighting Gareth’s heroic leadership and the fight to protect these unsung heroes. Tune in to hear the full story of this remarkable rescue mission.