How can wind energy and Africa’s vultures co-exist?

Wind farms are one of the solutions to Africa's energy crisis, but they have the potential to jeopardise threatened bird species such as eagles and vultures

Many people see wind energy as one of the key solutions to meeting Africa's growing energy demand and mitigating climate change. As a result, wind farms are already under construction or are being planned in many countries across sub-Saharan Africa. But wind farms can pose real threats to bird species, and they have the potential to jeopardise threatened bird populations.

So far, the biggest impact of inappropriately sited wind turbines has been on populations of large birds of prey, in particular eagles and vultures. In some extreme cases turbines have led to the death of hundreds of the birds as they collide with the turning blades.