Synchronised Vulture Survey

Synchronised Vulture Survey

#GS 03 Biodiversity Conservation

For Prelims

Synchronised Vulture Survey

  • The Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Forest and Wildlife Departments, are preparing to organise the first synchronised vulture survey in select regions of the Western Ghats on February 24, 25 and 26.
  • Till now, every year the Forest Departments in the three States were organising separate surveys at different times to count the remaining vulture population in South India.
  • In order to avoid duplications, a tripartite coordination meeting held in Mudumalai Tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu two weeks ago decided to organise synchronised vulture survey in Western Ghats.

Vulture habitats

  • Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, which neighbours the tiger reserves of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu, is the lone region where vultures thrive in Kerala.
  • The sanctuary is home to around 120-150 white-rumped vultures and less than 25 red-headed vultures.
  • Sightings of long-billed vultures have also been reported in the sanctuary occasionally.

Threat to vultures

  • Vultures have faced a catastrophic population decline since the 2000s due to the species being exposed to the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac which is used as a painkiller for cattle.
  • South Asia used to have about four crore white-rumped vultures until the end of the nineties but the population has since been reduced to less than 10,000.

Source “Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to organise the first synchronised vulture survey in February