Long-billed vultures return to Asifabad after three years

The return of the scavenger birds was a welcoming sign as December was a breeding season which result in increasing of their population, say officials.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Endangered long billed Indian Vultures (Gyps indicus) have returned to their colony on a cliff, locally known as Palarapu Gutta on the outskirts of Nandigaon village in Penchikalpet mandal after a gap of three years. Their return has cheered Forest officials and environmentalists here.

About 20 adults and 10 chicks inhabiting the colony were forced to leave the habitat when their nests collapsed following heavy rains in 2019. They migrated to a vulture sanctuary in Kamalapur of Gadchiroli district in neighboring Maharashtra. Three pairs, however, have returned to the spot and were sighted when they were flying around the cliff.

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“Three pairs of the vultures were spotted by field staffers of the department a few days back. Special measures are being taken to conserve the birds. Sufficient food is kept available for them. Similarly, peace of the locality is ensured by avoiding noise created by humans,” in-charge District Forest Officer G Dinesh Kumar told ‘Telangana Today.’

Officials said the return of the scavenger birds was a welcoming sign as December was a breeding season which result in increasing of their population. The birds inhabit hilly areas in central and south India. They are listed under the ‘critically endangered’ category by the International union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They feed on the carcass of animals and often move in flocks. They have a bald head, very broad wings and short tail.

Vultures play a vital role in ecosystem

According to biologists, vultures play an important role in the ecosystem by consuming dead and decomposed carcasses in the wild as well as domestic areas. However, their population has drastically declined due to consumption of bodies of domesticated animals which were given pain killers containing Diclofenac, officials said.

A colony of 10 long-billed vultures was discovered by Forest officials at Palarapu Guttalu (Cliffs) at the confluence of Peddavagu and Pranahita way back in 2013. A vulture conservation project, funded by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), commenced in January of 2015. A field biologist and five bird trackers were appointed under the project.