Biodiversity Conservation Projects: Conservation Measures for Vultures

Vulture Action Plan 2020-25

Approved by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for regulating the use of diclofenac and acceclofenac.
Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBCs): First VCBC was set up in Pinjore, Haryana in 2001. Currently, there are nine such Centres in India.
Creation of vulture safe zones.
Four rescue centres were established in Pinjore (Haryana), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Guwahati (Assam) and Hyderabad (Telangana).

Conservation Initiatives

Toxic Drugs: A system to automatically remove a drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures with the help of the Drugs Controller General of India.
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
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 organisations, created to oversee and coordinate conservation, campaigning, and fundraising activities to help the plight of South Asia’s vultures.

Vultures

Vultures are medium- to large-sized birds of prey.
They are known for eating carrion (the bodies of dead animals).
They act an important function as nature’s garbage collectors and help to keep the environment clean of waste.
- CITES: Appendix II
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972:Schedule I
IUCN Status of Vultures in India
- White rumped vulture – Critically Endangered
- Slender billed vulture – Critically Endangered
- Long billed vulture – Critically Endangered
- Red headed vulture (Critically Endangered)
- Egyptian vulture – Endangered
- Himalayan Griffon – Near Threatened
- Cinereous vulture – Near Threatened
- Bearded vulture – Near Threatened
- Griffon Vulture – Least Concern

Threats Face by Vultures

Use of Diclofenac: A veterinary nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in 2004 found in the carcass of cattle the vultures feed on.
Lack of Nesting Trees
Electrocution by power lines
Food Dearth and Contaminated Food

Significance

Natural Sanitation: Vultures consume carrion, reducing potential health hazards by preventing the spread of diseases that carcasses could harbor, like rabies and anthrax.
Disease Control: By feeding on animal remains, vultures limit populations of disease-carrying scavengers like rats and feral dogs, lowering risks of zoonotic diseases in human populations.
Nutrient Recycling: They play a role in nutrient cycling by breaking down organic material, which enriches the soil and supports plant life, benefiting the ecosystem as a whole.
Economic Benefits: By preventing disease outbreaks and maintaining ecosystem health, vultures contribute indirectly to public health and reduce potential healthcare costs.
Environmental Indicators: Vultures are bioindicators; their health reflects environmental issues like pollution and toxic chemicals, such as the veterinary drug diclofenac, which has caused declines in vulture populations.
Cultural Importance: In various cultures, vultures have symbolic significance, often associated with purification and natural recycling, underscoring their ecological role in the circle of life.