Two decades after toxic veterinary drugs cleared India’s skies of its ultimate scavengers, vultures are making a comeback with more than 700 birds bred in captivity and phased wild-release programmes turning protected tiger reserves into their new safe havens.
Led by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and state governments, the recovery initiative for the critically endangered white-rumped, long-billed, and slender-billed vulture species has entered a vital new phase with experimental releases across Haryana, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Assam, BNHS director Kishor Rithe said.
Moreover, monitoring through GPS and GSM transmitters has already shown encouraging survival and dispersal patterns, with a long-billed vulture released from Pench travelling 750 km to Nashik, Maharashtra, in 17 days.
Rithe, however, noted that long-term success would depend on the availability of safe food sources beyond protected areas, such as sanctuaries, national parks and conservation …​Two decades after toxic veterinary drugs cleared India’s skies of its ultimate scavengers, vultures are making a comeback with more than 700 birds bred in captivity and phased wild-release programmes turning protected tiger reserves into their new safe havens.
Led by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and state governments, the recovery initiative for the critically endangered white-rumped, long-billed, and slender-billed vulture species has entered a vital new phase with experimental releases across Haryana, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Assam, BNHS director Kishor Rithe said.
Moreover, monitoring through GPS and GSM transmitters has already shown encouraging survival and dispersal patterns, with a long-billed vulture released from Pench travelling 750 km to Nashik, Maharashtra, in 17 days.
Rithe, however, noted that long-term success would depend on the availability of safe food sources beyond protected areas, such as sanctuaries, national parks and conservation … ​Latest News [ SOBAN NEWS: International and National ]
