Vultures are disappearing in Nigeria - but the 'Vulture King' is fighting to reverse the trend

"People fear the environment where the shrine is. No evil will ever happen here. So, nobody fights vultures that perch here," a man they call the Vulture King tells the BBC.

Mostly associated with death and decay, perhaps it is not surprising that when vultures disappeared from the skies across many West African cities, they were not missed.

Yet across the continent, their disappearance is becoming impossible to ignore, as conservationists warn that hunting linked to traditional beliefs and spiritual practices continues to threaten several vulture species to the point of near extinction.

Without vultures, ecosystems would lose a natural defence against the spread of disease.

Thankfully in one part of south-eastern Nigeria, residents are bucking the trend.

Awka-Etiti is home to a sacred forest surrounding a shrine dedicated to a deity known as Nguma.

At first glance, the site is an unremarkable cluster of tall trees wrapped in thick greenery. But at its heart stands an ancient tree that locals say has watched over the community for hundreds of years, and remains the spiritual home of the shrine.

This is a largely Christian community but some residents continue to observe traditional practices, in which vultures play a key role.