International Vulture Awareness Day: UP’s Shahjahanpur sees rise in vulture population

On the eve of International Vulture Awareness Day on Saturday, forest officials said the population of the carrion-eating bird has increased in the district in the last few years.

Shahjahanpur: On the eve of International Vulture Awareness Day on Saturday, forest officials said the population of the carrion-eating bird has increased in the district in the last few years.

The population of vultures was once on the verge of extinction, they added.

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Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Prakhar Gupta told PTI that vultures had become extinct two years ago in Shahjahanpur, but some were seen at the Kakra Kalan slaughterhouse at the end of 2021. Their numbers have increased gradually since then, he added.

“At present, there are around 51 vultures in the district. It is nothing short of a miracle. We are trying our best to sustain the vulture population in the district,” the officer said.

According to experts, the population of vultures declined due to the use of a painkiller in animals that caused renal failure in vultures, a scavenger. The government has now banned the use of such painkillers in animals.

“Vultures are natural cleaners as they consume the meat of dead animals and cattle. This makes them an important aspect of the food chain,” the forest officer said.

The forest department organised a camp in the district on the occasion to spread awareness about the importance of vultures and the existential threat they face. Farmers and locals from various parts of the district attended the event, the DFO said.