Captive-bred vultures flying high in forest expanses

Subject :Environment

Section: Species

Why in news:

In 2020, eight critically endangered Oriental white-backed captive-bred vultures were released into the wild for the first time ever in India from the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre in Pinjore, Haryana.
Close to three years later, five survive and two have paired and successfully nested, in the untamed habitat of the Shivalik range in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Details:

There has been no report of veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) related mortality.
There is a concern over the uncontrolled veterinary use of NSAIDs especially the illegal use of the banned drug diclofenac that has caused vulture deaths.
3 drugs fatal for vultures are: Diclofenac, Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac.

Vultures:

In 1993 there was an estimated population of 40 million vultures in India.
The population of three species — the Oriental white-backed, the long-billed, and the slender-billed — has declined by over 97% since the 1990s.
- The Oriental white-backed vulture prevalence has gone down by an astonishing 99.9%.
All three species are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The species come under schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, meaning they enjoy the highest level of protection.
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.
- Most of these 9 species face dangers of extinction.

Conservation efforts:

The BNHS and Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) have been managing four Jatayu conservation breeding centres across the country in partnership with the State governments of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Assam.
Through this conservation breeding programme, the BNHS-RSPB has bred more than 700 birds in captivity since 2004.
BNHS has started the construction of soft release centres in Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, and at three tiger reserves in Maharashtra.
The Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) in its meeting on May 10, 2023, agreed to prohibit the manufacture, sale and distribution of the drugs Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac, and their formulations for animal use.
- The DTAB also suggested that a list of all drugs which affect animal health or the environment be prepared for further action.

Oriental white-backed vultures:

They are medium-sized, dark vultures.
Scientific name: Gyps bengalensis
Distribution: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam.
Habitat: Found mostly in plains and less frequently in hilly regions. Can also be seen in villages and cities near to cultivation.
Features:
- Adults are 75 to 85 cm tall.
- White neck ruff, rump and under wing coverts.
- Adults tend towards black coloration, while younger individuals are browner
- Their wing span is 180 to 210 cm
- Weight: Ranges from 5 to 7.5 kg
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB):

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland.
It was founded in 1889.
It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment through public awareness campaigns, petitions and through the operation of nature reserves throughout the United Kingdom.