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Species in News: Indian Long-Billed Vulture
Context:
Nehru Zoological Park has launched a dedicated vulture breeding programme to conserve endangered vulture species, following the challenge of ageing vultures that are no longer able to reproduce.
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- The programme is being implemented in two phases: the first phase focuses on conservation breeding, aiming to increase the vulture population under controlled conditions, while the second phase will assess their survival in the wild before releasing them into their natural habitat.
- This initiative began with nine vultures from Sakkarbaug Zoo in Gujarat.
About Indian Long-Billed Vulture
- Scientific Name: Gyps indicus
- Appearance:
- Medium-sized, light brown vulture.
- Whitish feathers on a dark head and neck.
- Pale bill and a pale collar, more prominent behind the neck.
- Juveniles have a darker bill, more white feathering on head and neck, and overall browner plumage with pale streaks on the breast and belly.
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered (CR)
- Diet: As scavengers, the Indian vulture feeds primarily on the carcasses of dead animals, playing a crucial role in ecosystem clean-up by disposing of decaying organic matter.
Distribution and Habitat
- Geography: Native to South Asia, with its primary distribution in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and parts of Afghanistan.
- Biogeography: Found in the Indomalayan biogeographical realm.
- Habitats: The Indian vulture is commonly found in tropical savanna and tropical dry forests, often near villages, cities, and cultivated areas, which provide ample scavenging opportunities.
Habits and Lifestyle
- Social Behaviour: Indian vultures are highly social birds and typically congregate in flocks when feeding on carcasses.
- Foraging: They are diurnal (active during the day) and spend most of their time soaring over open landscapes in search of food. They may fly up to 100 km in a single day while searching for carcasses.
- Communication: Generally silent, but when gathered around carcasses, they produce grunts and hisses.
Population Threats
- Poisoning from Diclofenac: This veterinary drug was widely used to treat livestock for joint pain. Vultures that consumed the carcasses of these treated animals would ingest the toxic drug, leading to kidney failure and death.
- Impact of Diclofenac: The use of diclofenac in veterinary medicine caused a massive decrease in the vulture population. Fortunately, its use has been banned, and efforts to save the species have been ramped up.
- Conservation Efforts: Captive breeding programs have been established to help restore vulture numbers. However, given the vultures’ long lifespan and slow reproduction rates, it may take decades for these efforts to yield significant results.
- Future Hope: The hope is that, once the environment is clear of diclofenac, the captive-bred vultures can be reintroduced into the wild and help restore the species’ numbers.
