Knowsley Safari Park conservationist,18, heading to Africa to help save vultures from extinction

An 18-year-old falconer and conservationist at Knowsley Safari Park is heading to South Africa to help save vultures from extinction.

Daisy Bessant works with the scavengers at the Merseyside wildlife park and has said that vultures will be wiped out of Africa in the next 10 to 15 years if no action is taken.

Vultures are currently being targeted by poachers in Africa as they act as a signal to rangers that an animal has been killed.

Consequently, poachers are lacing elephants and rhinos with cyanide when they kill them for their ivory tusks and horns.

This poison is transferred to the birds of prey, which is causing the numbers of the bird to decline, with four of the species of the animal now said to be "critically endangered".

Daisy's father was also a falconer and she is trying to raise money for anti-poison kits that can be sent to Africa to help tackle the problem.

She also warned that if vultures become extinct there will be health repercussions for humans and other animals, as the birds act as the clean-up service of Africa, which includes cleaning up diseases such as ebola.

To find out more about vultures and the problems they face click here.

Watch Paul Crone's report here: