Mascom leads conservation: dedicates time to saving vultures
Boikanyo Mathonsi | Tuesday June 11, 2024 11:33
He shared with The Monitor that the company is committed to community service. 'Every year, Mascom engages in our 3for3 initiative, where we dedicate three hours to community services. While other teams focus on assisting the less fortunate, we recognised the overlooked issue of wildlife conservation, particularly the plight of vultures,' he says. Highlighting the significance of vultures in the ecosystem, Galeboe emphasises their role in cleaning up the environment by consuming carcasses. However, he bemoans the alarming decline in vulture population due to poisoning, both intentional and unintentional. 'Vultures serve as [part of] nature's clean-up crew, but they often fall victim to secondary poisoning. Farmers sometimes poison predators like jackals to protect their livestock. 'Unfortunately, vultures unknowingly ingest these toxins when feeding on poisoned carcasses, leading to their demise,' Galeboe explains.
He outlines Mascom's strategic approach, targeting Goo-Moremi during winter, the vultures' mating season. By providing food and cleaning their habitats, he says Mascom aims to support vulture populations and promote breeding, crucial for their survival. 'During winter, vultures are more active, as it's their mating season. By providing care and support during this critical period, we aim to boost their population and ensure their continued presence in our ecosystem,' he says. Galeboe emphasises the need for widespread awareness and action. 'While Goo-Moremi Trust and village leadership are actively involved in raising awareness, the protection of vultures requires collective effort. The entire nation of Botswana needs to recognise the urgency of this situation and take proactive measures to safeguard our vultures from extinction,' he says.
Moreover, Galeboe says as Mascom gears up for the second edition of this event, there is hope for increased support from sponsors. He emphasises, 'We urge sponsors to come on board and join us in this noble initiative to protect and preserve our vultures'.