Dried Vulture Brains Rolled Into Cigarettes, Then Smoked for ‘Good Luck’
Another human superstition driving a protected species closer to extinction: Vulture brains are believed to increase luck in the lottery and at the race track.
Africa’s protected vultures are becoming the victims of a growing trend: According to a popular superstition, smoking dried vulture brains will result in “visionary” powers.
Thanks to an unfortunate superstition that attributes visionary powers to vulture brains, this protected species is becoming even more scarce in parts of Africa.
A disturbing article published in Emirates Business 24/7 states that traditional African “healers” promote a wide array of benefits from vulture brain consumption. And unfortunately, business in downtown Johannesburg’s traditional medicine (“muti”) market is booming.
Rolled into a cigarette or inhaled as vapours, vulture brains can also help at the horse races, boost an exam performance, or lure more clients to a business, according to believers. Next to snake skins and ostrich feet, as well as donkey fat to chase away bad spirits, Scelo sells a tiny bottle with just a speck of ground brains for about 50 rand (Dh24.3).
Apparently, the brain is dried and then mixed with mud. The mixture is then rolled into a cigarette and smoked.
Africa’s disappearing vultures
Despite the fact that vultures are a protected species, there is little being done in the way of public awareness to help people understand the importance of vultures in the ecosystem. A tragic result of such an oversight has already occurred in India, where the declining vulture population has been linked to the spread of rabies in humans.
Researcher Steve McKean said via the article that this superstition-fueled demand is going to have a devastating effect on southern Africa’s vulture population.
Traditional use as it is currently happening is likely to render vultures extinct in southern Africa on its own within 20-30 years.
McKean added that wildlife poaching in the eastern province of Kwazulu-Natal generally goes on without punishment.
Sadly, there is reportedly a steady demand for vulture brains: “Traditional medicine” vendors in downtown Johannesburg seem unconcerned about their role in pushing endangered species ever closer to extinction.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
