Four of the near-extinct species have been spotted in Rajasthan.
The harbingers of bad news, vultures have brought some good news for wildlife conservationists. It seems the near extinct long-billed vultures (Gyps Indicus) are making a comeback to the state and Bisalpur Conservation Reserve in particular, where four of the bird species have been spotted recently.
Local foresters claimed to have seen a group of four such vultures on a hilltop near the Bisalpur dam. One of them was found in a critical condition by a local forest guard who picked it up and arranged for medication and regular meat.
Ornithologists and environmentalists say that the species is nearing extinction in the state with a few long-billed vultures also vanishing during the last bird flu season. The species has been included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list of threatened animals. The long-billed vultures are one of the 20 most endangered birds in the world.
Although there is dedicated government fund for the conservation and breeding of these birds, forest guard Salim Khan and forester Ramesh Chandra Pareek of Toda Rai Singh locality in Tonk district had to pay from their own pockets to arrange injections, medicines and meat for the vulture. Such expenses are usually not reimbursed by the forest department.“I saw the vulture lying on the banks of Banas river near Bisalpur dam.
I thought it to be some normal bird hit by some human or other birds but later I came to know about its importance. We have been feeding the bird for the past four days and it is healthy now,” said Salim as he released the bird on Friday evening at the same location from where it was found. Salim is known for his love for wildlife and often spends from his meagre income to save wild animals and birds.
Pareek said the long-billed vultures had become extinct in the area but now they are forming nesting places in the reserve area and the need is to improve their feeding and roosting areas. One of the major threats to the vultures is from the loss and deterioration of habitat. The bird is also suffering because of chemicals, toxins, DDT, pesticides, and even herbicide.
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