CHENNAI: The first-ever synchronised vulture census in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala will be conducted on February 25 and 26. The exercise will help get more accurate estimate of their numbers and habitat. So far, there have only been rough estimates, and the trend over the years shows the vulture population in TN, which historically had highest numbers among three states, is on the decline.
Four species of vulture are found in southern India and are concentrated in the Nilgiris Biosphere Region. The Sigur plateau in the buffer area of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve hosts some of the last remaining prime nesting sites, especially of the White-Rumped Vulture.
Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R Reddy confirmed to TNIE census dates have been finalised and all three states are gearing up for the exercise. “We are in the process of forming multiple teams. Census will be carried out in Mudumalai, Satyamangalam and Nilgiris forest division in Tamil Nadu, while Karnataka, Bandipur, Nagarhole and parts of MM Hills are known to house vulture population. In Kerala, Wayanad has sizable population.”
Once the accurate population is estimated, a slew of management interventions are planned. Only recently, the first state-level Vulture Conservation Committee had met and discussed several conservation plans. A team led by B Ramakrishnan from the Department of Wildlife Biology, Government Art College in Udhagamandalam has been conducting long-term monitoring on the vulture population in TN for a period of five years from 2016.
Their work was presented at the annual research conference held a few days ago at the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation in Chennai. As per the latest data, there are only 150-odd vultures left in the wild in TN, of which the White-Rumped Vulture accounts for 122 numbers. The other three species - Long Billed Vulture, Red Headed Vulture and Egyptian Vulture - numbers are in double or single digits.
Ramakrishnan told TNIE White-Rumped Vulture number is dwindling rapidly, which is a cause of major concern. "In 2016, their population was estimated to be 282, and today it dropped to around 120. In one nesting site Siriyur, the nesting is no longer observed. These species build their nests on one particular tree called Terminalia arjuna, whose cover is reducing due to both natural and man-made causes. In the long-run, this tree cover loss will have adverse effect on the vulture population. Our research shows, White-Rumped Vulture breeding success is only 50-55%.
On the other hand, Long Billed Vulture population is stable or steadily growing since they nest on mountain cliffs and breeding success is 80%." S Bharathidasan, member of state-level Vulture Conservation Committee and co-founder of NGO Arulagam, said synchronised vulture census is the need of the hour. "The current estimates are not accurate. We believe the major nesting happens in Mudumalai tiger reserve buffer area and use Satyamangalam and the neighboring areas for foraging. This is the right time for the census since this being a peak nesting season."
Conservationists say contamination of vulture food supplies with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like diclofenac, which is now banned, is one of the primary reasons for decline in vulture population, not only in Tamil Nadu but across the country.
"Banning diclofenac alone is not enough. There are other veterinary drugs still in use that have similar adverse effects on vultures. Besides, persecution by cattle herders through poisoning, carcas unavailability and habitat degradation are other reasons which wiped-off the vulture population," experts say.
In 2020, the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has approved a revised "Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-25" which proposes setting-up of Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres in important states including Tamil Nadu. The captive breeding centre planned in Sigur reserve forest range in the buffer zone of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is yet to take-off due to paucity of funds, sources added.