Exhausted Himalayan vulture rescued, prepared for release in Singapore

A rare Himalayan vulture was rescued in a dehydrated and exhausted state from a Singapore highway and is undergoing rehabilitation. Wildlife experts hope to release the near-threatened migratory bird once it fully recovers.

Singapore: A rare Himalayan vulture, classified as “near threatened”, was rescued in a dehydrated and exhausted condition from a Singapore highway and is being rehabilitated for release, an animal welfare group here has said.

The migratory bird was rescued on January 11 by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) after it was spotted in distress, ACRES chief executive officer Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan said.

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The vulture is currently under the care of ACRES’ veterinary team, which hopes to fully rehabilitate the large bird before releasing it back into the wild.

“Dehydration, overall weakness and overall exhaustion from the long voyage seems to be the initial diagnosis,” Balakrishnan was quoted as saying by The Straits Times on Monday.

He said ACRES received a call from a member of the public about a distressed large bird on the afternoon of January 11. A three-member rescue team safely retrieved the vulture, which had wandered onto a highway and was earlier stranded in a canal.

Himalayan vultures, typically found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, are rarely seen in Singapore, which lies at the edge of their regular distribution range. Most of the species that migrate to Southeast Asia are usually spotted in Thailand and Myanmar.

A flock of Himalayan vultures was also sighted in Singapore on January 4 and 5, according to local reports.

Known for their long, broad wings and whitish streaks on their brownish mantle and scapulars, Himalayan vultures have a wingspan of between 2.5 metres and 3 metres and can weigh up to 12 kg.

Birdwatchers have been sharing sightings of the species on social media, including photos and videos posted on Facebook on January 11. In the Nature Society Singapore Facebook group, a user said he encountered the bird with his daughter, who initially mistook it for a turkey.

According to Bird Society of Singapore records, Himalayan vultures were last seen locally in February 2025. The earliest record dates back to December 1989, when four vultures were spotted in Tuas in western Singapore.

In recent years, Singapore has witnessed sightings of various wild animals, including otters, wild boars and deer, with authorities repeatedly urging the public not to harm wildlife.