NILGIRIS: A sub-adult White-rumped vulture that was GPS-tagged in Maharashtra in 2025 and was seen flying in the Nilgiris district for the past three months was electrocuted to death at Ebbanad near Ooty on Sunday, once again highlighting the threat posed by uninsulated overhead power lines to vultures and other birds.
The bird had been released in Moyar village in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in April this year after obtaining consent from the forest department. The release followed discussions between the Karnataka forest department and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), as the vulture had fallen ill after arriving in Karnataka from Maharashtra.
Originally tagged at Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, the vulture later moved into Karnataka before being released in Moyar due to the presence of a thriving White-rumped vulture population in the Mudumalai landscape. Officials hoped the GPS-tagged bird would integrate with the resident vultures and survive in the wild.
However, the bird was attempting to take off from the ground when it came into contact with a low-tension overhead power line on Sunday, and was electrocuted.
Upon receiving information from locals, staff from the Nilgiris North Forest Range recovered the carcass. Assistant Veterinary Surgeon Dr Rajesh Murali conducted the postmortem examination, and the carcass was buried.
S Bharathidasan of Arulagam said his team had been monitoring the GPS-tagged vulture. "It appears the bird spent most of its time in and around the village and did not show interest in mingling with the resident vultures inside MTR. Instead, it spent the past three months moving along the forest fringes around Masinagudi, Vaazhaithottam, Glenmorgan and Ooty," he said.
He added that the incident serves as another wake-up call for authorities to insulate overhead power lines in vulture habitats. "Not only vultures, but several migratory and resident birds have died of electrocution. The government should immediately identify vulnerable stretches and install insulated cables to prevent such deaths," Bharathidasan said.
An anti-poaching watcher involved in monitoring the vulture told TNIE that although the vulture had remained close to the forest fringes, it appeared healthy and active. "It died because of this unfortunate and unexpected electrocution," the watcher said.
When contacted, Nilgiris District Forest Officer (DFO) Kashyap Shashank Ravi described the incident as rare and unfortunate, noting that vultures and other birds are generally cautious around power lines.
"We frequently convene meetings with Tangedco officials and take up the issue of sagging overhead power lines to prevent the electrocution of terrestrial animals. However, we did not anticipate an incident in which a GPS-tagged vulture would be electrocuted. We will work out a plan to prevent such occurrences in the future," he said.
