Vulture count on a rise thanks to Asiatic Lions

Vulture population may be on a decline across Gujarat but the number of these fast diminishing scavengers has surprisingly risen in Bhanvnagar (Gujarat, India) and Amreli districts (Gujarat, India). Interestingly, it is the lions that are helping these endangered birds make this region their permanent habitat.

The number of vultures in the 70-km coastal stretch from Mahua-Rajula-Nageshree (Gujarat, India) has steadily increased from an all time low of 87 in 2010 to 134 in 2013. In fact, the extremely rare Eurasian Griffon specie of vultures that were only winter visitors of Mahuva, are now seen throughout the year.  

Besides serious conservation efforts and people’s awareness, wildlife experts also attribute the increase to the presence of large number of lions in the revenue land in this region. Vultures feast on the animals that have been preyed upon by lions.

“Since these lions are out of forests area, they mostly kill domestic cattle and feed on them in open fields. Moreover, these animals are untreated and not administered Diclofenac, which is the sole reason for vulture’s decline. This helps vultures to have a healthy food chain, a critical aspect for their survival,” said Ruchi Dave, honorary wildlife warden, Bhavnagar district (Gujarat, India).

Recently, wildlife enthusiasts spotted 25 endangered vultures including two Eurasian Griffons, feedin on the carcass left behind by an Asiatic Lion near Rajula in Amreli District (Gujarat, India).

“Few days ago mi spotted eight vultures feasting on an animal killed by Lions. Such a sight is quite common now”. Said Jasubhai Mobh, a Maldhari living in Mobh Nesh near Khambha.

Lions are in good numbers in Mahuva, Rajula, Khambha, Jafrabad and Savarkundla (Gujarat, India) area and most of them are out of protected forest area. “There are over 75 lions in his 70 km area and most of them are in revenue area. We have often seen vultures eating the lion’s kill in these areas,” said Vipul Laheri, honorary wildlife warden, Amreli (Gujarat, India).

Notably, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has selected the Mahuva area as one of the six provisional Vultures’ safe Zone on the country.

Lions’ presence in this ‘vulture’ zone has helped these birds stay put. “Eurasian Griffon vultures have been observed throughout the year, which indicated that this area is non-disturbed habitat for vultures,” Dave said. 

Courtesy:- Times of India. 

Diclofenac ban ups vulture count for first time in 20 years

The country’s vulture population has increased for the first time in two decades, after a catastrophic decline in their numbers by over 99%.

A research paper by scientists from Bombay Natural History Society (BHNS) shows that the number of vultures, once found across the country, increased marginally between 2011 and 2012.

The vulture population in India started to fall dramatically in the early 90’s. Around 95% of the scavenging birds were wiped out by 2003 and over 99% by 2008, and their numbers plunged from four crore in the early 80’s to under a lakh in 2011.

The study also warned that while the stabilization in numbers is encouraging, only a small number of vultures remain and they are still extremely vulnerable.

Diclofenac, a painkilling drug administered to cattle, was the culprit. Vultures which have a digestive system robust enough to even digest disease causing pathogens found in rotting meat of the dead – do not have a critical enzyme that breaks down diclofenac. They die of renal failure after eating carcasses of cattle administered the drug.

“It’s lethal for vultures if they eat an animal within 72 hours of it being given diclofenac,” said Vibhu Prakesh, lead researcher and deputy director, BNHS. A ban on diclofenac use across South Asia in 2006 led to a drop off, between 2007 and 2011, in the numbers of birds being killed by the used of the drug on livestock.

Environmentalists said the findings offered signs of hope for the critically endangered species once believed to be close extinction.

The three most common vulture species found in India are the long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus), also known as Indian vulture, the white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus) and the slender billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris).

Prakesh said getting affix on the actual numbers was not immediately possible but the numbers are slightly higher than in 2011, when there were only 1,000 slender billed vultures (Gyps tenuirostris), 11,000 white backed vultures and 44,000 long billed vultures remaining in the country. The decline prompted the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to put vultures on its list of ‘critically endangered’ species.  

Courtesy:- Times Of India