NILGIRIS: The much-awaited synchronised vulture census began at various tiger reserves in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka including Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Nilgiris district, Sathymangalam Tiger Reserve in Erode, Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka and Wayanad Sanctuary in Kerala. The census will be carried out under the point count method, where the surveyors count the vultures from directly atop the hills.
A total of 30 teams from MTR are engaged in counting the vultures. The staff and volunteers were given orientation training at the Theppakkad training centre. Each team consists of four to five members - two from forest department, two students pursuing wildlife biology and a volunteer.
The hill has been selected for the survey as it will give a clear view of the plains and the hilltop makes it easier for counting the vultures flying.Egyptian vultures apart, the team has identified red-headed, long-billed, and white-rumped vultures as well.
“Unlike Tamil Nadu, the population of vulture is low in Kerala and Karnataka, as per research papers presented during a national seminar held in 2018 at Ooty. This survey will help estimate the exact population of vultures in southern India, based on which we can carry out works to conserve them,” said S Chandrasekaran, one of the enumerators and vulture researcher from Sathyamangalam.
“We have found that the nesting population has not come down in any significant way, rather they have shifted their nesting colonies from already known niches to other parts in the MTR buffer zone. An example is the shift from Siriyur to Gudalpatti. Similarly, there may be some new sites within the buffer zone, which we may find after analysing the results of the survey,” he added.
Deputy Director of MTR P Arunkumar said, “The survey results will be announced within 15 days to three weeks after discussions with neighbouring states.”