Vultures are disappearing in Nigeria - but the 'vulture king' and others are fighting back

"People fear the environment where the shrine is. No evil will ever happen here. So, nobody fights vultures that perch here," a man they call the Vulture King tells the BBC.

Mostly associated with death and decay, perhaps it is not surprising that when vultures disappeared from the skies across many West African cities, they were not missed.

Yet across the continent, their disappearance is becoming impossible to ignore, as conservationists warn that hunting linked to traditional beliefs and spiritual practices continues to threaten several vulture species to the point of near extinction.

Without vultures, ecosystems would lose a natural defence against the spread of disease.

Thankfully in one part of south-eastern Nigeria, residents are bucking the trend.

Awka-Etiti is home to a sacred forest surrounding a shrine dedicated to a deity known as Nguma.

At first glance, the site is an unremarkable cluster of tall trees wrapped in thick greenery. But at its heart stands an ancient tree that locals say has watched over the community for hundreds of years, and remains the spiritual home of the shrine.

This is a largely Christian community but some residents continue to observe traditional practices, in which vultures play a key role.

Local resident Chukwuemeka Igwe, who has earned the nickname King of Vulture, thanks to his tireless volunteer work with Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), says "the indigenous don't hunt vultures".

Instead, locals sometimes offer fresh animal sacrifices at the shrine which attract the birds, he explains.

"And there is an adage we use here that says: 'When you put down a sacrifice and you do not see vulture[s], know that something happened in the spirit world'."

It means that vultures are a good omen when a sacrifice has been made because their presence suggests that the deity has accepted the sacrifice and heard the residents' appeal to its power.

Now in his 50s, Igwe says the birds have been a feature of daily life in this town for as long as he can remember, walking around among humans and scavenging for food.

Yet for many who venture into the wild elsewhere on the continent, vultures are not the first birds to capture their attention. Rarely do we stop to admire vultures through binoculars or photograph in awe.

In the eyes of many people, vultures are downright ugly. But scientists say they provide one of nature's most important cleaning services.

Vultures consume dead animals within hours, helping prevent carcasses from becoming breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria and diseases.

Their disappearance can have serious consequences, says NCF conservation biologist Stella Egbe: "In places where the total collapse of vultures has happened, there has been impact of rising zoonotic diseases."

Vultures' powerful stomach acids allow them to safely consume infected animals, helping stop diseases such as anthrax and rabies from spreading.

Without vultures, experts warn ecosystems lose a natural defence system.

Rapid urban growth across Africa has also played its part, transforming landscapes, and destroying many of the tall trees that the birds nest in.

Habitat loss is far from the only factor.

Poisoning is the cause of death for an estimated 60% of vultures in Africa, according to BirdLife International, external.

These issues will be high on the agenda when researchers from across the region meet in Abuja later this year to review the West African Vulture Conservation Action Plan, which was drafted in 2022.

Experts say the use of vultures and their body parts in traditional medicine and Vodun (also known as Voodoo) has emerged as one of the most significant drivers of their decline, especially in West and southern Africa.

Dead adult vultures in Nigeria used to sell for around 25,000 to 30,000 naira ($18 to $22; £13 to £16) each - but can now fetch up to 200,000 naira ($145; £107) per bird, says Egbe.

Vulture eggs and nests are increasingly targeted too, which for such a slow-breeding species is a catastrophic and "shocking" development, says Egbe.

Adult vultures usually reach sexual maturity between the ages of five and seven, and produce only one chick every year or two. Plus many young vultures do not survive their first year.

"And so you imagine what will happen if a nest is removed and eggs are removed. That means a pair of vultures will not have a next generation for that year. So in addition to hunting, you're removing their habitat, you're removing their homes," she adds.

Seven species of vultures in Africa are now classified as globally Endangered or Critically Endangered by BirdLife International, the authority for birds on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

A recent BirdLife report says African vulture populations have fallen by between 80% and 97% over a period of 50 years.

The group also says that in January 2020 more than 2,000 hooded vultures were found dead in Guinea-Bissau, many with their heads removed - a sign of belief-based practices rather than natural causes, researchers say.

As vulture populations continue to fall across the region, conservationists have been searching for communities where these birds are not hunted, feared or exploited.

They found one such example in Awka-Etiti.

Yet in recent years, Igwe says he and other residents became worried when they noticed outsiders arriving to hunt the birds and vulture numbers dwindled.

In his quest to save the birds he visits markets, buses and public spaces to spread the word: "I tell them that vulture is helpful to human life".

He says he "cannot run away" from his unusual nickname of Ezeudene, or the King of Vulture.

"I'm fighting to make nature exist the way it's supposed to be."

Working with the NCF for the past six years, Igwe has mobilised community leaders, local groups and security teams to protect the birds from outside hunters, with local bylaws now helping to formalise their protection.

Local volunteers monitoring the birds say they have now recorded more than 160 vultures, up from about 20 recorded in 2017.

Nigeria has become a major hub for the illegal trade of vultures, conservationists say, partly because of its biodiversity and porous borders.

"We are doing everything possible to make sure that the smuggling of items, including vultures, including donkeys, and other species outside the country is suppressed to the barest minimum," insists Abdullahi Maiwada, a spokesman for the Nigerian Customs Service.

He says customs officials have carried out seizures of protected wildlife and supported prosecutions linked to illegal trafficking.

It is an example of how Nigeria is trying to live up its commitments as a member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) - under which endangered species are not allowed to be traded across borders.

But Maiwada admits to the BBC that enforcement alone is not enough - education will be crucial too.

"We may not be able to do it without the cooperation or understanding of members of the community," he continues. "If people understand why these species should be preserved, then our enforcement will only be complementary to those who decide to be recalcitrant."

That message has been at the heart of conservation work in Awka-Etiti and across parts of Nigeria.

Although reliable population data remains limited, conservationists say there are encouraging signs in Awka-Etiti, with local engagement helping residents become vigilant against outside hunters.

"The missing vultures are almost back. If you go to the marketplace now, you see vultures. At one time they disappeared, but now they are coming back," Igwe confirms.

Egbe believes that this small, south-eastern town demonstrates what is possible when communities lead conservation efforts.

"What we've done in Awka-Etiti is one very good example of a success story where people have taken charge of what's going on in their environment. That makes us happy."

For Igwe, every returning bird represents hope.

But with populations still collapsing across Africa, he knows protecting them will require much more than one community.

Additional reporting by Abayomi Adisa, Ifiokabasi Ettang and Natasha Booty

Reporting from BBC News contributed to this story.