Vultures prevent disease, recycle nutrients, and even reduce greenhouse gas emissions — yet they face extinction at an alarming rate. These birds are the silent guardians of our ecosystems, nature’s clean-up crew that protect both wildlife and human health. Beyond ecology, they are also woven into human culture and history — from ancient Egyptian deities to Indigenous traditions that see them as symbols of purification and renewal.

In this special Talons of Hope episode for International Vulture Awareness Day, host Munir Virani speaks with André Botha — one of the world’s leading vulture conservationists and a longtime friend. From the savannas of Africa to the policy tables of international conventions, André has spent more than three decades fighting for vultures. Together, they share stories from the field, highlight groundbreaking solutions that are turning the tide, and celebrate the resilience of these remarkable birds.

This is a conversation of hope and inspiration — and a reminder that every one of us can play a part in ensuring vultures continue to soar in our skies.

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What happens when an injured hawk, eagle, falcon, or owl beats the odds, survives rehabilitation, and is released back into the wild? Do they truly make it? Do they matter?

In this episode of Talons of Hope, host Munir Virani talks with Dr. Christian Hagen — Senior Research Scientist and Associate Professor at Oregon State University — about a groundbreaking study that combed through decades of data on more than two million raptors. The results challenge long-held skepticism and reveal that rehabilitated raptors, especially long-lived species, can play a real role in offsetting human-caused losses.

From power lines to wind farms, the threats are daunting — but this conversation explores how science, policy, and even ancient falconry traditions can unite to give birds of prey a second shot at life. It’s a story of resilience, redemption, and hope on the wing.

In this compelling episode of Talons of Hope, Dr. Munir Virani sits down with one of the rising stars in global raptor conservation—Dr. Megan Murgatroyd, a field biologist, scientist, mother, and Director of International Programs at HawkWatch International.

From the cliffs of South Africa to the jungles of Indonesia, Megan shares her bold and deeply personal journey tracking and protecting some of the world’s most elusive and endangered raptors. Listeners are taken behind the scenes of her fieldwork: wrestling Verreaux’s Eagles, developing wind energy collision models for large eagles, tagging Flores Hawk Eagles with a toddler strapped to her back, and investigating the illegal killing of Hen Harriers on UK grouse moors.

Throughout the conversation, Megan reflects on:

• The early spark that drew her to raptors
• The resilience it takes to do fieldwork as a woman and a mother
• The powerful role of GPS tracking in both conservation science and advocacy
• How science can—and must—adapt to a changing climate
• The vital importance of storytelling and mentorship in inspiring the next generation of conservation leaders

What emerges is the portrait of a conservationist who brings equal parts grit, grace, and global thinking to the field of raptor biology. With humor, honesty, and depth, Megan shares lessons from the field—both scientific and human—that offer hope for the skies above and the communities below.

Featured Themes:

• Women in conservation science
• GPS tracking and real-time conservation
• Balancing motherhood with fieldwork
• Renewable energy and wildlife coexistence
• Illegal killing of raptors and policy implications
• Mentorship and building the next generation of raptor biologists

"Sometimes you have to climb a cliff with a telemetry unit in one hand and a baby carrier in the other—because the eagles aren’t going to wait." — Dr. Megan Murgatroyd

Deep in the grasslands of Kenya’s legendary Maasai Mara, where lions roar and wildebeest thunder, a quieter crisis is unfolding. Vultures — nature’s essential clean-up crew — are dying in silence, poisoned by the very communities that once lived in harmony with them.

But one woman is fighting back.

Meet Valerie Nasoita Sankok, a proud Maasai woman and frontline conservationist. She’s not just saving birds. She’s saving ecosystems, cultural values, and future generations.

As the Vulture Liaison Officer with The Peregrine Fund, Valerie responds to wildlife poisoning incidents — often being the first on the scene. She finds poisoned carcasses, collects forensic evidence, tends to any surviving vultures, and engages with pastoralist communities to stop the cycle of revenge poisoning that is decimating wildlife.

It’s grim, dangerous, and emotional work.

But Valerie is no stranger to adversity. Raised in a traditional Maasai community, she broke gender barriers to become one of Kenya’s most recognized voices for vultures. With training in crime scene management and wildlife poisoning response, and with deep cultural fluency, she is uniquely positioned to lead this fight from within.

In this powerful episode of Talons of Hope, Valerie shares:

• What it feels like to stand amid dozens of poisoned vultures — and what drives her to act.
• How she works with Maasai herders to replace poison with peaceful coexistence.
• The cultural and ecological importance of vultures in Kenya’s rangelands.
• Her personal journey as a Maasai woman forging a path in conservation.
• What gives her hope in the face of loss, and why the next generation matters more than ever.

Why You Should Listen

This isn’t just a conversation about birds. It’s about justice, environmental health, gender equality, and the power of one woman to reshape how communities think about wildlife.

Vultures play a critical — and often invisible — role in our ecosystems. By cleaning up carcasses, they prevent the spread of diseases like anthrax and rabies. Without them, entire food webs begin to unravel. Yet in Africa, vulture populations have plummeted by over 90% due to poisoning and habitat loss.

Valerie’s story reveals the hidden frontline of this crisis — and the quiet revolution being led by women, by communities, and by those who care enough to act.

A Local Hero with a Global Message

Valerie’s work has inspired not only her own community but also the wider conservation world. Her voice represents the intersection of science and tradition, action and empathy. She reminds us that real conservation starts with listening, with trust, and with those who live closest to the land.

Her message is clear:
“When vultures disappear, we all suffer. But when people rise to protect them — so does hope.”

Listen Now If You Care About:

• Wildlife conservation and raptor protection
• Maasai culture and women’s leadership
• Solving human-wildlife conflict
• Poisoning response and ecological justice
• Stories of resilience, courage, and change

Join us for this unforgettable episode of Talons of Hope, and be inspired by Valerie Sankok — a warrior whose fight is for all of us.

Because in her words, “Saving vultures is saving life.”

In this episode of Talons of Hope, we travel to the windswept tundras of Alaska to explore the frontline of polar raptor conservation. Host Munir Virani, of the Mohamed bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund (MBZRCF), speaks with Michael Henderson—field biologist with The Peregrine Fund and PhD candidate at Boise State University—whose groundbreaking research on Gyrfalcons, the Arctic’s apex raptors, is offering urgent insights into a rapidly changing world.

Why should you tune in?
Because polar raptors like the Gyrfalcon are telling us stories about the fate of the Arctic—and of our planet itself.

The Gyrfalcon is an iconic predator of the far north. But as climate change disrupts prey populations, introduces new disease threats, and reshapes Arctic ecosystems, these magnificent birds face an uncertain future. Michael’s mission is to understand how they are adapting—and what we can do to help.

Michael shares his remarkable journey from a career in construction to scaling cliffs in pursuit of raptor science. In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How stable isotope analysis and nest cameras reveal shifting diets
• Why Willow Ptarmigan and Arctic ground squirrels are so critical to Gyrfalcons—and what happens as their ranges change
• The rise of pathogens and parasites in a warming Arctic
• What it’s really like to study falcons in Alaska’s remote wilderness
• How MBZRCF’s global partnerships are connecting polar raptor research from the Arctic to Patagonia

This work is part of a bold initiative supported by MBZRCF to advance understanding and conservation of polar raptors in an era of unprecedented ecological change.

As the host notes, this is more than a story about falcons—it is a story about how the Arctic itself is changing, and how raptors can serve as sentinels of planetary health.

If you care about:

• How climate change impacts top predators
• What it takes to do science in the world’s harshest environments
• The power of unlikely journeys and global collaborations
• Why protecting raptors is about protecting us all

...then this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Poachers laced an elephant carcass with poison in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, and by next morning 123 critically endangered vultures lay dead. Dozens more were barely clinging to life, sparking an urgent race to save them.

Amid this carnage, Gareth Tate – head of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Birds of Prey Programme – sprang into action. He hooked up a specialized “vulture ambulance,” gathered vets and rangers, and raced to the scene even enlisting a SANParks helicopter

Against all odds, 84 poisoned vultures were pulled back from the brink and rushed into rehabilitation. Within weeks, those survivors were healed and soaring free again.

Vultures are nature’s cleanup crew, crucial for keeping ecosystems healthy. Yet poisoning is a silent, brutal threat pushing them toward extinction. This episode tells an emotional story of tragedy, teamwork, and hope, highlighting Gareth’s heroic leadership and the fight to protect these unsung heroes. Tune in to hear the full story of this remarkable rescue mission.

Talons of Hope: A Conversation with Dr. Jayson Ibanez – Saving the Soul of the Forest

In this powerful and moving episode of Talons of Hope, host Munir Virani speaks with Dr. Jayson Ibanez, the Director of Operations at the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), a pioneering raptor biologist and champion of culture-based conservation. Their conversation delves deep into the remarkable efforts to save the critically endangered Philippine Eagle—a species that symbolizes both the ecological and cultural soul of the Philippines.

Dr. Ibanez recounts his early fascination with birds of prey, which began during his university days and evolved into a lifelong mission to conserve the Philippine Eagle. He shares how a combination of academic training, fieldwork, and a deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems shaped his unique approach to conservation. He also reflects on his journey as a scientist, from earning his PhD in Australia to returning home to apply both western science and traditional ecological knowledge in the service of saving the national bird.

At the heart of the conversation is the historic release of two Philippine Eagles in Leyte, a bold move aimed at reestablishing the species in its former range. Dr. Ibanez explains the significance of this translocation: it is the first time in over a century that eagles born and raised in Mindanao have been introduced into the forests of Leyte, where viable eagle habitat still exists. This milestone was made possible by a groundbreaking partnership between the PEF and the Mohamed bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund (MBZRCF), whose support has helped breathe life into this ambitious initiative.

Dr. Ibanez discusses the scientific foundation behind the project—how telemetry data from over 30 tracked eagles has informed habitat selection and release strategies. But just as critically, he outlines the human side of the effort: months of community consultations, social feasibility studies, public awareness campaigns, and trust-building with local and Indigenous leaders. The translocation wasn’t just about moving birds; it was about preparing the landscape—ecologically and culturally—to welcome them.

The conversation touches on the broader vision of “culture-based conservation,” a philosophy that recognizes local communities not just as beneficiaries but as active stewards. Dr. Ibanez shares compelling stories of how engaging with ancestral domain holders, particularly the Bagobo Tagabawa community in Davao, has shifted the conservation narrative from conflict to collaboration. This approach, he argues, is the future of wildlife protection in biodiverse, human-inhabited landscapes.

Dr. Ibanez also speaks to the challenges: the persistent threat of habitat loss, the tragic consequences of eagle shootings, and the hard-won lessons of working at the intersection of politics, ecology, and tradition. Yet he remains hopeful. With support from partners like MBZRCF, a new generation of Filipino conservationists, and growing national pride in the eagle as a living symbol of resilience, the path forward is clearer than ever.

As the episode closes, Dr. Ibanez calls on listeners to act—not only by supporting Philippine Eagle conservation, but by embracing the deeper idea that saving a species is about saving stories, values, and ways of life. “Every eagle we protect,” he says, “is a message to future generations that we cared enough to keep the wild alive.”

This episode is a testament to what happens when science is fused with spirit, and when hope becomes not just a feeling, but a strategy. Talons of Hope reminds us that the flight of a single eagle can carry with it the aspirations of an entire nation.