12 Nov 2024        11:07:55 am

Environmental Ecology

Vultures

Tags : Vultures

Topic: Biodiversity

Why in the news?

• A two-day vulture survey that concluded in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary recently, the sole habitat of the bird in the State, has recorded the presence of 80 vultures across nine locations.
• The survey, jointly organized by the Forest and Wildlife department and the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology on October 6 and 7, aimed at assessing the status and distribution of vulture species within the sanctuary.

Source: The Hindu 

About Vultures:

• These are one of the 22 species of large scavenger birds that live predominantly in the tropics and subtropics.
• They function as nature’s garbage collectors and help to keep the environment clean of waste. They also play a valuable role in keeping wildlife diseases in check.
• India is home to 9 species of Vulture namely the Oriental white-backed, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Himalayan, Red-headed, Egyptian, Bearded, Cinereous, and the Eurasian Griffon.
• A significant decline in vulture populations has been observed in South Asian nations, particularly India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
  • This decline is primarily attributed to the widespread use of diclofenac, a veterinary drug, during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
  • This resulted in a population decline exceeding 97% in some regions, creating a consequential ecological crisis.
• Role of Vultures in Ecosystem:
  • Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling:
    • Vultures efficiently consume carrion (dead animals), preventing carcasses from accumulating and rotting.
    • This helps to decompose organic matter and return nutrients back into the soil, which benefits plant growth and the overall health of the ecosystem.
  • Disease Prevention:
    • Vultures have incredibly strong stomachs with very acidic digestive juices. This can kill bacteria and viruses that can cause diseases like anthrax, rabies, and botulism, thus, acting as true “dead-end” for pathogens.
  • Indicator Species:
    • Vultures are sensitive to changes in their environment. A decline in vulture populations can be an indicator of a wider ecological problem, such as pollution or a shortage of food sources.
• Vulture Conservation Efforts Taken by India:
  • Addressing the Drug Threat:
    • Ban on Diclofenac: Recognising the devastating impact of diclofenac, India banned its veterinary use in 2006. This was a critical step in protecting vultures from kidney failure caused by ingesting carcasses of treated livestock.
    • The Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change launched a Vulture Action Plan 2020-25 for the conservation of vultures in the country. It will ensure minimum use of Diclofenac and prevent the poisoning of the principal food of vultures, the cattle carcasses.
    • Expansion of the Ban: In August 2023, India further banned the use of ketoprofen and aceclofenac for veterinary purposes, acknowledging their potential threat to vultures.
  • Captive Breeding and Reintroduction:
    • Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBCs): India established a network of VCBCs, the first being set up in Pinjore, Haryana in 2001.
      • These centres focus on the captive breeding of endangered vulture species, providing a safe environment to raise healthy populations for reintroduction into the wild.
      • Currently, there are nine Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centres (VCBC) in India, of which three are directly administered by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
  • Vulture Restaurant:
    • In a proactive effort to conserve the declining vulture population in Jharkhand, a ‘Vulture Restaurant’ has been established in Koderma district. The initiative aims to address the adverse impact of livestock drugs, particularly diclofenac, on vultures.
  • Other Vulture Conservation Initiatives:
    • Vulture species are conserved under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) ‘Species Recovery Programme’.
    • The Vulture Safe Zone programme is being implemented at eight different places in the country where there were extant populations of vultures, including two in Uttar Pradesh.
    • Bearded, Long-billed, Slender-billed, and Oriental white-backed are protected in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Rest are protected under ‘Schedule IV’.
  • International Collaboration:
    • SAVE (Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction): The consortium of like-minded, regional and international organizations, created to oversee and coordinate conservation, campaigning, and fundraising activities to help the plight of South Asia’s vultures.

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