Vultures mostly forage outside protected areas; conservation efforts should be focused there, urges study

Source: The post is based on the article “Vultures mostly forage outside protected areas; conservation efforts should be focused there, urges study” published in the Down To Earth on 8^th October 2022.

What is the News?

A recent study on Vulture conservation has found that vultures mostly forage outside Protected Areas (PAs). So, to control the decline in vulture populations one needs to remove threats such as poison-laced carcasses from these places also.

What are the key findings of the study on Vulture conservation?

Global findings: African white-backed vultures are most likely to forage early in the day outside National Parks, specifically in Game Reserves and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), but avoid areas with high livestock numbers to feed.

Vultures avoiding areas with high livestock density when feeding suggests that vultures did not use cattle as the main food source and avoided areas with high human habitation.

Findings related to India: Vultures in India also forage mostly out of protected areas. They travel long distances every day while foraging for food. But they use cattle as the main food source.

India being an agrarian country, the livestock population has only increased over the years.

What are the suggestions of the study on Vulture conservation?

Understanding Vulture habitat use and their behaviour in certain habitats, like outside of protected areas, is critical for their conservation.

It is vital to identify and remove threats near nesting and roosting sites, and to provide them with food and water.