In parts of West Africa, slaughterhouses have become some of the last remaining habitats for the critically endangered Hooded Vulture. These birds, once common in the region, are now facing a steep decline due to a variety of threats. Human activities, such as habitat destruction, food shortages, electrocution from power lines, and poisoning, have all contributed to their decline. However, one of the most significant threats comes from persecution linked to Vodun (voodoo) rituals, where vultures are sometimes targeted. In the town of Badou, Togo, local people reported that poachers used baited fishhooks to trap and kill Hooded Vultures, resulting in the complete disappearance of the species from a once-popular roosting area. In Chad, which is considered a potential stronghold for critically endangered African vultures, recent research has shed new light on their population and distribution. Djekillamber Djekadjim, a Chadian researcher, spent six months studying vultures at 10 slaughterhouses, a landfill in N'Djamena (Chad’s capital), and four surrounding towns. At each site, he counted the number of vultures present and interviewed 93 individuals, including butchers, farmers, herders, traditional healers, and government officials, to understand local attitudes and the threats vultures face. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Bird Science, found that vultures were absent from over half of the 11 sites surveyed. The other five sites had between two and 33 birds, which is a far cry from the high of 83 birds observed at a single slaughterhouse in northern Togo. Based on these counts, researchers estimated there are only about 113 Hooded Vultures in the N'Djamena area and surrounding regions. Interestingly, the presence of food did not reliably predict where vultures would be found, as some sites with plenty of food had no vultures. At Farcha, the largest slaughterhouse in N'Djamena, where 100 to 250 cattle are slaughtered daily, no vultures were observed. Vultures were more commonly seen at sites that were greener and had fewer people. The site with the highest number of vultures, Dourbali, was the farthest from the city. Although nearly half of the people interviewed were aware of vulture poisoning, and several slaughterhouses were identified as poisoning sites, very few people named poisoning or poaching for ritual use as a major threat. Only 3% of respondents mentioned poaching for belief-based practices. Chad's government has shown a commitment to wildlife conservation, exemplified by the recovery of elephant populations in Zakouma National Park. The study underscores the urgent need for public awareness campaigns, stricter enforcement of laws against poaching and illegal wildlife trade, and ongoing monitoring to protect Hooded Vultures and other wildlife in the region.