Rescued Himalayan vultures script India’s first captive breeding success story in Assam Zoo

Source: The post is based on the article “Rescued Himalayan vultures script India’s first captive breeding success story in Assam Zoo”  published in Deccan Herald on 1st August 2023.

What is the News?

In 2011-2012, Himalayan vultures were rescued from poisoning incidents in Assam. Despite initial skepticism from veterinarians about their survival in the hot and humid weather, most of them not only survived but also contributed to India’s first captive breeding success story of Himalayan vultures at Assam State Zoo in Guwahati.

What is Himalayan Vulture?

Himalayan Griffon vulture or Himalayan Vulture inhabits the higher regions of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau.

This species is distributed from western China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, east through the Himalayan mountain range in India, Nepal and Bhutan, to central China and Mongolia.

They can fly at an elevation of up to 5,500 metre with help of their wide and powerful wings.

IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Vultures Found in India:

In India, a total of nine species of vultures are found. Out of these six species are resident (white–rumped vulture, Indian vulture, slender-billed vulture, red-headed vulture, bearded vulture and Egyptian vulture) and three species are migratory (cinereous vulture, griffon vulture and Himalayan vulture).