Planning to shoot Vultures in Westchase!

Tampa area of Florida...

UPDATE: As of 3/14/22, the CDD-USDA collaboration is shooting off fireworks twice daily to scare away vultures from the Westchase Community island in the back of Stonebridge in Tampa. They planned to shoot any vultures that remain after 2 weeks, but our understanding is that they may have already begun. PLEASE help us stop this tragedy NOW. 

Here’s why you want to protect them, not harm them:

There are two species of vultures that live in this area, Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and Black vultures (Coragyps atratus). They are both incredibly beautiful birds and form wonderful family groups that are valuable and beneficial to our community.
Vultures can live to be 25 years old and are monogamous and will stay with their partner for many years, sometimes for life.
The loyal pair are excellent parents and will defend their nest, eggs, and young vigorously. Interestingly, these vultures build their nests on the ground in stumps, thickets, brush piles, or hollow trees. Vultures prefer to nest away from humans but given limited habitat space they will make do with what is available.
Baby vultures are fed by their parents for up to 8 months, and the entire family develops strong bonds. Large communal roosts are common, where relatives can gather to meet up.
Vultures are nesting right now, as are other shorebird species that are using an island in Westchase.
The babies will starve to death in the heat without their parents to care for them.
These birds are not considered attractive or “pretty” to most people. Regardless, vultures are incredibly important to the environment because they eat dead animals that most other predators can’t stomach. Eliminating the rotting meat helps stop the spread of tuberculosis, rabies, and other communicable diseases! We need that right now!!!
We have taken most of their available nesting space for development. They are literally finding themselves with no place to nest. That Westchase island is an ideal location, so scaring them off and killing them is futile and temporary. We need to come up with solutions so that we can all co-exist together.

Please help us by spreading awareness so that no more babies die and by signing our petition. 

Please contact the following to express your opposition to this horrific attack on vultures immediately!

Main Contact:
Parker Hall, USDA APHIS, Florida Wildlife Services State Director, (573) 449-3033, parker.t.hall@usda.gov
Copy to:
Tonya Espinosa, USDA APHIS, Public Affairs Specialist, (301) 851-4092, tanya.c.espinosa@usda.gov
Thanks for your help on this important issue.
Florida Voices for Animals https://www.floridavoicesforanimals.org/
727-656-8368