Endangered Indian Vultures Sighted in Jaisalmer

JAISALMER: Schedule 1st Indian vultures, which are on the verge of extinction, have been sighted in Degrai Oran area. Wildlife enthusiast Sumer Singh Bhati saw around 200 Indian vultures at Degrai pasture land in Fatehgarh tehsil in Jaisalmer district on Friday.
Currently, it’s the breeding season of the vultures and they are expected to have come from the Pakistan border. These vultures in India are on the verge of extinction and are rarely seen in northern India.

Bhati said that these vultures have been seen rarely at DNP in Jaisalmer and the protected place adjoining field firing range behind Shri Bhadaria Rai temple. Vultures being sighted in such large numbers is a very good sign, he said.

Environmentalists Radheyshyam Pemani and Parth Jagani said black-necked and golden-feathered vultures found throughout the year in India are the most endangered species in the world in IUCN red list. The government of India to protect these vultures had opened Jatayu vulture breeding and conservation centre at Chandigarh. A few vultures were left in the jungles a few months ago from this centre. At Degrai pasture land, three species of vultures including Himalayan Griffon and Cinereous Vultures are found and even they are dying after hitting the electric wires. In such a situation, sightings of Indian vultures here prove the purity of the environment in the pasture lands.

It is to be mentioned that Bhati took photos of the vultures, which were confirmed by ERDS foundation scientists and zoology professor with Indraprasth University New Delhi Dr Sumit Dookia, Radheyshaym Pemani and Parth Jagani.

Expert IUCN WHSG, WCPA and Save Vulture Community member Dau Lal Bohra said that the critically endangered oriental white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture, have declined across most of their range by over 95% since the mid-1990s. Pakistan’s north eastern Tharparkar district, mainly the Thar desert, which borders India, hosts the largest population of vultures, followed by scattered spots in southern Punjab, Azad Kashmir, and the south western Balochistan province.

He said that the population of long-billed vultures in Jaisalmer was not seen before today. This population has been detected as a group, as the breeding season is about to begin. Having 70–80 pairs in one place ensures that the Thar desert is the best place in Rajasthan for the vultures. Dr Sumit Dookia, faculty, GGS Indraprasth University, New Delhi and Honorary Scientific Advisor, ERDS Foundation, said that rural economy of western Rajasthan is still dominated by livestock rearing. The carcasses of these animals attract a large number of vultures. The sighting of a flock of Indian Vultures inside Shree Degray Mataji Oran near Sanwatha confirms that Thar desert still supports these critically endangered vultures.
He said that since last year, ERDS Foundation started monitoring of few important species of birds in this Oran along with Great Indian Bustard and raptors.

Source: ToI