GREEN MINUTE NEWS:
The ongoing Vulture breeding programs in India has led to slight increase in the bird numbers.
The numbers of White-rumped Vultures, Indian Vultures and Slender- billed Vultures has risen to over 800 birds across four centres in the last two decades.
Recently, a fifth breeding centre for critically endangered Asian King (Red-headed) vultures has come up at Gorakpur in Uttar Pradesh.
With India losing more than 95 percent of its vulture population between 1990s-2005, conservation efforts were taken up to prevent vultures from becoming extinct. The Indian Govt further launched Project Vulture in 2006 to increase the population of Indian vultures across a few states.
VULTURE CONSERVATION & BREEDING CENTRE
India’s first vulture conservation centre was launched in 2001 at Pinjore centre in Haryana. Presently, India has 4 such vulture conservation & breeding centres (VCBCs) which provide a safe environment for raising healthy population of vultures and its reintroduction in the wild.
Dr Vibhu Prakash, former Principal Scientist of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), initiated this breeding program which included a complex range of activities varying from overseeing the construction of aviaries and facilities, to managing the feeding requirements and health of birds within the three centres.
This work continues with the staff at BNHS and the program continues to expand now holding over 800 vultures in captivity at four centres in Haryana, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Assam in collaboration with the respective state forest departments.
However, West Bengal state Forest Department recently took on full management responsibility for the centre in Rajabhatkhawa/Buxa Tiger Reserve.
NEW FACILITY AT GORAKPUR
According to Chris Bowden, Co-chair, IUCN Vulture Specialists Group, initiatives for further govt breeding centres have progressed with a new facility at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh where 6 Red-headed vultures are now held (5 females and 1 male). This is run by Uttar Pradesh Forest Department.
The UP Chief Minister inaugurated the centre on 6 September, this year. Further, 20 White Rumped Vultures were also reportedly sent from the Haryana breeding centre to a new zoo (Vantara) in Jamnagar, Gujarat in April.
TRIAL RELEASES
Apart from this, trial releases have progressed this year with 10 birds (White Rumped Vulture & Indian Vulture) released in July and August across two tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh. All birds were GSM-tagged and monitored.
But this programme remains on a trial basis as toxic NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) availability and use in the surrounding areas remains worryingly high despite the drug bans. This is unlike the situation in Nepal where vulture-safe drugs like meloxicam and tolfenamic acid are almost exclusively used by vets and farmers.
Unfortunately, in Gujarat, White-rumped vultures continues to decline and are at best stable nationally after their catastrophic 99.9 percent population declines.
THREAT OF TOXIC VET DRUGS
Experts call for action by the Indian govt with the threat of veterinary drugs used in cattle which are toxic to the vultures feeding on them persists. Further, this is the most significant threat and hindrance to the recovery of India’s vultures.
Efforts to ban the offending drugs take time, and this issue can be avoided by developing a licensing system for these drugs that only permits safe drugs to be marketed. Two such out of patent drugs are currently known and available – meloxicam and tolfenamic acid, but more safe drugs can be identified if such a system is in place.
NEED FOR BETTER IMPLEMENTATION
As per Vulture Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, a publication updating veterinary NSAID availability across Asian countries is in preparation using under-cover pharmacy survey data from multiple Save Asia’s Vulture from Extinction (SAVE) & other partners, which will clarify the situation further.
An important meeting held in Gujarat by the Birdwatching Conservation Society of Gujarat, called for action to regulate veterinary drugs before they are licensed. The meeting attended by state Govt, IVRI, SAVE, CMS and 20+ organizations may lead to a stronger India vulture network.
Dr Vibhu Prakash, national vulture expert said “We have long known about the diclofenac threat and the 2006 ban was an important step taken by the Indian Government. But this still needs better implementation, and the recent bans of ketoprofen and aceclofenac need highlighting further, as well as introducing a better regulatory system that prevents other toxic drugs from becoming popular and prompting the whole banning process all over again.”
(PHOTO CREDIT: KARNATAKA FOREST DEPTT, SAVE & OTHERS, IMAGES REPRESENTATION OF THE DIFFERENT VULTURE SPECIES)