Ten critically endangered White-backed Vultures, were found poisoned last week, at Lephalale.
Vulpro, Africa’s leading vulture conservation organisation, responded to the incident.
Three survivors are currently receiving intensive veterinary care.
Vulpro said the incident was reported by a member of the public who saw vultures falling from trees.
Following receipt of photographs, video footage and a GPS location, the Vulpro team rapidly identified clear signs of acute poisoning.
They called Professor Katja Koeppel and her team from the Faculty of Veterinary Science, in Onderstepoort.
It is suspected that a farmer, wanted to kill a leopard, and laced a carcass with poison, but instead, vultures were drawn to the site, resulting in mass poisoning.
Sakkie Louwrens, a former detective, was first on the scene and located and confronted the farmer.
With the involvement of Jurg van Heerden from the Endangered Species Unit, Johan van Wyk of LEDET, and the Law Enforcement team, a formal case was opened.
The farmer has ever since cooperated with the authorities and pleaded guilty to the charges related to the incident.
Picture: Supplied