http://www.ivad09.org/wp/Sept 5th was Vulture Awareness Day, worldwide. I missed that date, but better late than never.
Egyptian vulture seen at Bharatpur - Photo by Carthic
Egyptian vulture seen at Bharatpur - Photo by Carthic
Egyptian vulture seen at Bharatpur - Photo by Sripad
My previous posts on the vulture highlighted the crisis that this scavenger species face in India. A depressing situation to say the least. And to think that at one point in time not so long ago, there were plenty of them even in the cities!
Egyptian vulture seen at Bharatpur - Photo by Carthic Egyptian vulture seen at Bharatpur - Photo by Carthic Egyptian vulture seen at Bharatpur - Photo by SripadWhy the worry, they are just scavengers aren't they?
Well yes, of the most efficient type. They feed on dead carcasses, and rid us of carrion and rotting meat. Their stomachs have some kind of special chemicals that do not make them sick when they feed on putrid meat.
Just imagine, if our garbage collectors did not visit even for a couple of days. Now that's the situation - piles of uneaten, rotting meat, spread of disease and the growth of feral dogs and rabies.
The BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) gives the whole background and status of vultures in India and Vulture Rescue works throughout Asia to help this species.
An Action Plan for Vulture Conservation was announced by the Central Government in 2006. Captive breeding centres in some zoos, Non-diclofenac carcasses in special feeding sites, are being attempted along with the ban on diclofenac.
There's been some success reported in the captive breeding programmes.
The Reconciliation Ecology blog has a nicely written opinion piece on the success of the condor programme in the US, and what lessons we in India can lean from this.
I only hope that these pictures I have posted of vultures are not my last sighting of them.
thanks for writing about this - its so informative!
ReplyDeleteGreat post indeed! Great birds they are, our environment is heading for doomsday without these magnificent birds. I did not know that there was a International Vulture Awareness Day. Thanks for the information. Much reviled in comics and cartoons but that is wholly unfair. Humans give bad names to innocent birds also that are a very important part of the ecosystem. Wonderful pictures of the birds above, breath taking, especially the one in flight.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly there is no resident vultures in Sri Lanka.
ReplyDeleteSuch a nice post, Ambika. A wonderful tribute to a much-maligned bird.
ReplyDeleteGlad you all enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteIs it European vulture or Egyptian vulture??
ReplyDeletePadmanabhan
Gosh, thanks Padmanabhan...I see this day in and day out, and still didn't notice!
ReplyDeleteHave edited!
Very informative post and great photos of the Egyptian Vulture Ambika. I love that in flight capture.
ReplyDelete