150 Vultures Spotted In Valmiki Tiger Reserve

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Authorities in Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) have started planning for conservation of vultures after 150 of the birds were sighted recently in the protected area.

According to forest officials, Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Himalayan griffon (Gyps himalayensis) were among the 150 individuals spottedin VTR.
About 75-80 vultures, the highest number, were spotted at the Ganauli range, followed by Madanpur and others.
The proposed plan for vulture conservation had been sent to the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH).
After approval from IDWH, a formal vulture conservation programme will begin in all five ranges of VTR.
As per the plan, a rescue centre for vultures will be set up in the Ganauli range.
Besides, the local community, living in nearby villages, will be made aware about the conservation of vultures. A campaign will be launched through street meetings, seminars at villages and other means.
The state government has been planning to create a diclofenac-free zone for conservation of vultures in areas bordering Nepal. The current plan is a major step in this direction.
Vultures from the Himalayan range visit areas in Bihar bordering Nepal during winters.
However, vultures in Bihar are very difficult to spot today, unlike till early 2000. Like elsewhere, vultures used to play a vital role in the state by consuming animal carcasses before they decomposed or raised a stink.

Conservation status

Critically endangered –White-Rumped Vulture, White-Backed Vulture, Ruppell’s Vulture, Indian Vulture, Slender-Billed Vulture
Endangered –Cape Vulture
Near Threatened – Himalayan Vulture
Least Concern – Griffon Vulture

All three are critically endangered.

Vultures are one of the 22 species of large carrion-eating birdsthat live predominantly in the tropics and subtropics.
They act an important function asnature’s garbage collectors and help to keep the environment clean of waste.
- Vulturesalso play a valuable role in keeping wildlife diseases in check.
India is home to9 species of Vulture namely the Oriental white-backed, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Himalayan, Red-headed, Egyptian, Bearded, Cinereous and the Eurasian Griffon.
Most of these 9 species face danger of extinction.

In the last four years, the population has grown by may be 10 percent. Restoring the population is an uphill task as vultures are slow breeders.
If they become extinct, there will be a huge ripple effect. Other scavengers like rats and dogs may take over, temporarily, but with that comes problems like increased incidence of rabies.

It is located at theIndia-Nepal border in the West Champaran district of Bihar.
Itforms the easternmost limits of the Himalayan Terai forests in India.
It is situated in the Gangetic Plains bio-geographic zoneof the country, the forest has a combination of bhabar and terai tracts.

This was established in March 1994 under Project Tiger.
Indian flying foxes can be sighted here.
Tharu’, a scheduled tribe, is the dominant community in the landscape of the Valmiki National Park.