Nigeria, Nov. 26 -- At the Kofar Mazugal abattoir in Kano, the morning air in September 2025 reeks of blood and smoke. Butchers hurry between carcasses, blades flash, and the cries of cows, goats, and camels pierce the din. For decades, this chaos drew hundreds of vultures circling and swooping on the remains.

Today, not one hovers over the slaughter slab. A mix of economic desperation, deep-rooted belief, and weak environmental enforcement is driving vultures toward extinction.

Entrance of the Kano Abattoir Limited in Fagge Local Government. (Image source: Francis Annagu | Dataphyte)

"The vultures would come around here in the morning and leave in the evening," recalls Zubairu Lawal, a 64-year-old butcher who has worked here since his...