Vulture Restaurant Set Up in Jharkhand to Conserve the Species

GS Paper III Biodiversity and Conservation

Context:

Recently, a ‘Vulture restaurant’ has been set up in Koderma district, Jharkhand to conserve the vulture species.

The Vulture restaurant awaits the establishment of protocols with cow shelters and municipalities for the provision of diclofenac-free animal carcasses.
The restaurant plans to serve scavenger birds with carcass sources from these designated places.
Aim: To address the adverse impact of livestock drugs, particularly diclofenac, on vultures.

Vulture restaurant is an example of in-situ conservation.
First in the World: The first such restaurant was created in South Africa in 1966.
- Inspired by this concept, similar restaurants were created in several other countries, including Cambodia, Switzerland, Spain and Nepal.
In India: The first such restaurant was opened in 2015 at Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary in Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Sociable Creature: Vultures are often seen as a collective unit. Out of 23 species of vultures in the world, nine are found in India.

Vulture restaurant

Slow Reproduction Rate: Vultures are slow breeders so the survival of every individual is very crucial.
Need for Conservation: Conservation of vultures is important as the bird species plays an important ecological role through its rapid consumption of animal carcasses.

Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972: Vultures are protected under Schedule (1) of the WPA, 1972.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix II
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): There are nine species of vultures in India:
- Indian Vulture or Long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus)-Critically Endangered
- Indian White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)-Critically Endangered
- Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)- Critically Endangered
- Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)- Critically Endangered
- Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)- Endangered
- Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)- Near Threatened
- Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)-Near Threatened
- Himalayan Vulture (Gyps himalayansis)-Near Threatened
- Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)- Least Concern

Also Refer: IUCN Red List Update At COP28

Hunting: Myths about the medicinal healing powers of vultures’ body parts have led to the hunting of vultures.
Quarrying: Quarrying and blasting of stones where vultures nest have also caused their decline.
Diclofenac’s Impact on Vultures: Vultures are exposed to the diclofenac when they consume carcasses of animals that were treated with the drug shortly before their death.
- The vultures die from kidney failure within days of exposure to diclofenac-contaminated tissues.
- Even 1% of it in the carcass would kill vultures in a short time after it feeds.
  - Diclofenac: A common anti-inflammatory drug administered to livestock for treating symptoms of inflammation and fevers.

Vulture Care Centre (VCC): To study the cause of deaths of vultures in India, a VCC was set up at Pinjore, Haryana in 2001.
- Later in 2004, the VCC was upgraded to being the first Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centres (VCBC) in India.
Vulture Action Plan: In 2020, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of Government of India has launched a Vulture Action Plan 2020-25.
- Aim: To step up conservation measures and set up a mechanism to ensure that toxic drugs other than diclofenac are also banned for veterinary use.
- In 2023, other drugs like Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac were also banned.
Safe Zone Declaration: To provide a safe habitat to vultures, the Jharkhand forest department has declared a 100-km radius from the center of Hazaribag as a safe zone.
- Hazaribag district is home to several rare varieties of vulture.
Conservation Centre: In 2014, the Jharkhand Forest Department set up its lone vulture conservation and breeding center in the Muta area.