By IUCN CEM South Asia, on 08 September 2019.
Even though not prettiest of birds, known as scavengers, Vultures are more vital than awful because they clean up carcasses that otherwise could rot and spread pandemic. They are divided into two groups: New World vultures (from North, Central, and South America) and Old World vultures (Africa, Asia, and Europe). The International Vulture Awareness Day publicise the conservation of vultures to a broader audience and highlight the vital work being carried out by the world’s vulture conservationists.
As part of observing World Vulture Day 2019, Mr S. S. Davidson, Commission Member, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management South Asia, an environmental educator, has conducted an awareness programme in Udayadi Government School Located in the foothills of Thadagamalai, part of Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu. The plan intended to generate awareness on the students on the role of Vultures which acts as a critical component for healthy functioning of ecosystems preventing the spread of diseases among animals by the expulsion of the ground of dead animals.
Mr Davidson is actively involved in the survey of Vultures in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Satyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary and Moyar valley, a continuous landscape, in Tamil Nadu, with the Forest Rangers and tribal people. They have recorded four species from this region. Ongoing surveys had noted that there is a drop in the Vulture population from 600 to 200 over two decades due to habitat disturbances, human encroachments, etc.
Poisoning from feeding on cattle carcasses administered with the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, powerline collisions, loss of habitats, food scarcity etc. also plays a significant role in the decline of vulture population in this region.
This article is composed from inputs by Mr S. S. Davidson, IUCN CEM member and is one of the pioneer educators of the environmental movement based at Tamil Nadu, India