Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to begin the first synchronized vulture survey

Source: The post is based on the article “Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to begin the first synchronized vulture survey” published in The Hindu on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

The Kerala Forest and Wildlife department along with its counterparts in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is preparing to organize the first synchronized vulture survey in select regions of the Western Ghats.

Note: The three States used to conduct separate surveys, which often resulted in duplication of data as the surveys were conducted at different time periods.

Where will the vulture survey be conducted?

The survey will be conducted simultaneously in three forest divisions including Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the South and North forest divisions. 

It will be conducted after dividing the Wayanad landscape, where bird species were frequently sighted into 10 locations. 

About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1973. It is the second-largest wildlife park in Kerala. It was notified as an Elephant Reserve under Project elephant in 1991-92.

It is part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. 

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to the tiger reserves of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu is the lone region where vultures thrive in Kerala. 

The sanctuary harbors nearly 120-­150 white ­rumped vultures and less than 25 red­ headed vultures.

About Vultures in India

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Vultures faced a catastrophic population decline during the 2000s when the species was exposed to the anti ­inflammatory drug diclofenac used as a painkiller for cattle.

South Asia had about four crore white­rumped vultures until the end of the nineties. But the population has come down to less than 10,000.