Kaziranga National Park gets 35 critically endangered Vultures

The Central Zoo Authority CZA a statutory body of the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change MoEFCC Government of India has approved the transfer of 30 Whiterumped Vultures Gyps bengalensis and five Slenderbilled Vultures Gyps tenuirostris from Vulture conservation and breeding centre Rani Guwahati to the 6th Addition of Kaziranga National Park amp Tiger Reserve NPampTR under Bishwanath Wildlife DivisionTaking to social media Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted Glad to announce the release of 30 Whiterumped amp 5 Slenderbilled Vultures from VCBC Rani into kaziranga_s 6th Addition Like Jatayu soaring in Ramayana these guardians of our health return to the wild marking a triumph of our dedicated conservation effortsBoth the slenderbilled vulture Gyps tenuirostris and whiterumped vulture Gyps bengalensis are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List They are also protected under Schedule I of Indias Wildlife Protection Act 1972 offering the highest level of legal safeguardsSonali Ghosh Field Director of Kaziranga National Park amp Tiger Reserve said that Assam serves as the primary stronghold for slenderbilled vultures in India hosting breeding populations particularly near Kaziranga National Park though their numbers may be on a decline due to threats like poisoning from pesticidelaced cattle carcasses Whiterumped vultures are present across the state but face similar population crashes prompting active conservation at sites like the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre in Rani Kamrup which holds a sizable number of captive individuals Vultures hold mixed cultural roles in India often viewed as symbols of environmental balance and purity in rural communities where their presence near cremation grounds along riverbanks traditionally signified a natural cycle of death and decay Hindu reverence for vultures such as the heroic Jatayu and Sampati from the Ramayana epic also highlights their strength and keen eyesightVulture populations in India including species like whiterumped slenderbilled and Indian vultures numbered in the tens of millions in the late 20th century but crashed by over 9737 for some species between the mid1990s and early 2000s By 2007 whiterumped vultures dropped to around 11000 individuals with slenderbilled at about 1000 marking the fastest decline ever recorded for any bird species Recent estimates from 20232025 indicate lingering low numbers such as 7501000 slenderbilled vultures with declines slowing but no significant recovery Sonali Ghosh saidShe further said that the veterinary drug diclofenac used as a painkiller for livestock caused kidney failure and visceral gout in vultures scavenging treated carcasses with just 08137 of contaminated carcasses sufficient to trigger the collapse Widespread use across India Pakistan and Nepal from the 1990s led to high poisoning rates confirmed in dead vultures accounting for nearly all mortality during peak declinesHabitat loss persecution and other NSAIDs contributed marginally but diclofenac dominated leading to ecological fallout like increased feral dog populations rabies spread and over 500000 human deaths from 20002005 due to unscavenged carcasses Bans on diclofenac for veterinary use since 2006 have halted rapid declines though populations remain critically low without full recovery she also saidThe Field Director of Kaziranga National Park amp Tiger Reserve said that the 6th addition to Kaziranga National Park as administered by Bishwanath Wildlife Division was selected as the release site due to its expansive forested landscapes abundant carrion resources from large herbivores within Kazirangas extended bufferOngoing antipoaching measures and vulturefriendly veterinary practices further enhance its suitability for soft releases promoting natural foraging and nesting behaviours A release aviary has been constructed by Kaziranga Park Authority with technical supervision of BNHS near the Tewaripal forest camp from which the vultures will be released to the wild in the coming months as per the scientific soft release protocolIn parallel various awareness programmes on Vultures their biological importance and threats etc have been conducted for the local communities in various educational institutes and with veterinarians The program supports vulture population recovery amid ongoing threats like NSAIDsDiclofenac Aceclofenac Nimesulide etc and Pesticide poisoning in Northeast India she saidShe further said that the transfer marks a prominent step in reintroduction efforts for species such as the Whiterumped and Slenderbilled vultures The Vulture Conservation Breeding CentreRani under Assams Forest Department and BNHS leads captive breeding and conservation for South Asias declining Gyps vulture Resident populationsThe Bombay Natural History Society BNHS plans to release captivebred slenderbilled and whiterumped vulturesinitially six in January 2026in Assams Kamrup and Biswanath districts following over 15 years of breeding more than 800 vultures nationwide These efforts supported by the Assam Forest Department and RSPB aim to restore flocks combat diclofenacrelated declines and engage communities to reduce poison baitingThis initiative reinforces Assams commitment to restoring vulture populations in the wild and enhancing the longterm success of conservation breeding and reintroduction efforts across the northeastern landscape