Foundation for Analytical Science & Technology in Africa (FASTA) became a registered charity in 2006 and since then, we’ve set up a centre of excellence in analytical chemistry at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology in Nairobi. The University is now teaching mass spectrometry to graduates and post graduates. We are also collaborating with a researcher and conservationist who has recently completed her doctoral work in the area of wildlife forensics at Cambridge. We are looking for the reason for the vvery worrying mass decline in the African vulture population.
Our lab in Nairobi is currently analysing the feathers and bones of dead vultures using GC Mass Spectrometry - a very powerful technique for analysing and identifying trace amounts of chemicals.
We are hoping to gather enough evidence and data to show the reason for the decline which we think is due to the rise in veterinary drugs used in cattle, especially Diclofenac, as well as deliberate poisonings, aimed at large mamals such as lions and tigers. The objective is to get enough evidence based on sound science, to beetter control the use of these drugs in veterinary use.
We hope that the lab can become self sustaining, and that we will quickly be able to educate farmers that there are better and more sustainable ways to run their businesses.
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