Vultures in State facing bleak future

[Guest guest]

Link: www.assamtribune.com

 

Vultures in State facing bleak future

By Prabal Kr Das

GUWAHATI, April 28 – Dark is the future for the vulture population

of the State, and now voices of concern are being raised from

several sources, who have been monitoring its sudden decline in

numbers. Recently, a number of vulture deaths were reported from

Hatsingimari in Dhubri district, which could be another blow for the

already threatened population. Following the recent deaths, pressure

is being mounted at the highest level to ban the drug Diclofenac,

which many researchers believe to be responsible for the death of

vultures. Speaking to this reporter over phone today, Dr Asad

Rahmani, Director, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) said that

credible research has established the fact that the carcasses of

cattle carrying the drug, once consumed by vultures cause death.

 

He said that the sudden slide in the population of vultures is

the " fastest decline of any species in the world in its known

history. " He emphasized that remedial measures have to be taken

immediately.

 

The population status of vultures in the State has come down to a

few hundred. According to Kulajyoti Lahkar, Science Officer, BNHS,

who had earlier carried out a vulture estimation, found about 100-

110 Slender-billed vultures and about 200-210 White-backed vultures

in the State.

 

Significantly, the conservation group Aaranyak has already written

to the Prime Minister and appraised him of the threats faced by the

highly threatened species.

 

In the communication is mentioned, " you might be aware that since

1998 it has come to notice of wildlife biologists that vulture

population in India as well as in other countries in the world has

been declining very fast. In India, 95-99% of three species of

vultures- White-backed, Long-billed and Slender-billed vultures are

already dead. From millions, their number has come down to a few

thousands in the whole country " .

 

Hilloljyoti Singha, publicity secretary of Aaranyak in the letter

urged that the potent drug diclofenac be banned as soon as possible.

He stated that the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government

of India, has also accepted that unless this killer drug is banned

completely, there is no way the remaining vultures could be saved.

 

While acknowledging that Diclofenac is responsible for the death of

vultures in several parts of India, noted conservationist Moloy

Baruah said that there could be other reasons for their sudden

decline. " The drug should be banned, but at the same time more

investigations have to carried out to determine other factors.

 

Baruah also revealed that the number of vultures have diminished in

a very short span of time in the State. Referring to estimation

carried out by the conservation group Early Birds, he said that

recent observations have revealed few vultures near the city of

Guwahati, where they were frequently seen on previous occasions.