A New Chapter for Vultures As We Open Pioneering Genetics & Microbiome Lab
This weekend, as conservationists and vulture enthusiasts around the globe mark International Vulture Awareness Day (6 September 2025), we celebrated the occasion by officially opening a groundbreaking genetics and microbiome laboratory – the first dedicated vulture research facility of its kind in the UK.
Why This Matters
Vultures are often overlooked, but they play a vital role in keeping ecosystems healthy. Acting as nature’s clean-up crew, they dispose of carcasses and help prevent the spread of deadly diseases to wildlife, livestock, and even people. Their decline has been devastating: in South Asia alone, the crash in vulture populations, caused largely by accidental poisoning from veterinary NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like diclofenac, has been linked to over 500,000 human deaths in the region.
The HVCT’s new laboratory is a major step toward reversing this crisis. By advancing research into vulture genetics and microbiomes, the lab will give conservationists tools to improve disease monitoring, boost breeding success, and safeguard both captive and wild populations.
A Global Effort, Rooted in Wales
The Trust’s 110-acre site in South Wales, already manages one of Europe’s largest vulture collections, including the Hooded Vulture and the Egyptian Vultures, both at risk of extinction within the next decade. Earlier this year, the team celebrated the successful hatching of chicks from both species. Now, with the new lab the team can study vulture genetics and gut health in ways never before possible in the UK and they’re aiming to push vulture conservation science even further. The work won’t just benefit our own birds but could inform conservation projects across the globe.
The laboratory is fully equipped to carry out DNA extraction, qPCR, and microbiome analysis, enabling scientists to uncover genetic diversity, identify disease risks, and study the role of gut health in breeding success.
The official opening was led by two respected vulture advocates: Vinayagan (Vina) Dharmarajah, Regional Director (Asia) at BirdLife International and Jemima Parry-Jones MBE, Chair of SAVE (Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction). Both praised the UK’s role in global conservation, with Dharmarajah calling the lab “an important step in building the scientific capacity to conserve vultures,” while Parry-Jones described the work as “an exciting development in vulture conservation.”
HVCT Curator Holly Cale added:
“This year we’ve succeeded in hatching hooded and Egyptian vulture chicks, and now we’re celebrating the launch of our genetics and microbiome lab. These milestones show the UK’s practical success with breeding and also our leading-edge science in the global fight to save vultures.”
Beyond Breeding: Building a Future
The lab isn’t just for HVCT. Universities and conservation partners will be able to access its facilities, helping strengthen collaborative work across Europe, Africa, and Asia. This integrated approach, combining specialist husbandry, veterinary innovation, and cutting-edge science, creates a powerful foundation for future reintroduction of vultures into the wild.
