Madhusudan Katti 
Subject: Vulture Alert from India 

[Apologies for any cross-postings, in the interests of widest=20
circulation of this alert - Madhu]

>Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 18:07:22 +0530
>From: BNHS 
>Organization: Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House SB=20
>Singh Rd Mumbai-23
>Subject: Vulture Alert-2
>
>VULTURE ALERT- 2
>
>Dear Colleagues,
>In November 1998, I sent the first Vulture Alert. The response
>was good and I have received more than 50 letters (all were
>replied) and my note was circulated all over the world through
>e-mail. Almost all the Indian newspapers and many foreign
>newspapers  covered the story, some did their own further
>investigation. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has
>decided to establish Indian Vulture Study Group, the details of
>which can be circulated on request. At present it is an informal
>Group, mainly interested in exchange of information on Indian
>vultures.
>
>The decline of vultures, especially the Gyps species, is
>alarming. I have received shocking reports  from all over India.
>Some in brief are as follows (my comments are given in brackets):
>
>1. Dr. Ram Veer Singh, of WWF-India wrote on 15 December 1998
>that in his village in Uttar Pradesh, "villagers in general feel
>very sad about all of a sudden disappearance of vultures in the
>area and now realize the importance of the role played by
>vultures in scavenging the carcasses which otherwise are lying
>putrefied  with foul smell and unattended. The situation is not
>as bad in Sawai Madhopur (in Rajasthan, where Ram Veer was
>working).The sighting of vultures is still common. Though, people
>in the area note a decline in number of sightings. It is
>difficult to say about the abundance pattern in absence of data
>over a period of time."
>
>2. Mr. Ramesh Dutt of Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh writes that
>"vultures have not been seen in Betul and Balaghat districts but
>are present in Chindwara, Bhopal and Indore.  The egg laying time
>of vultures (presumably Longbilled Vulture) coincides with honey
>collection by Gonds (a tribe) from rock faces, ledges. The Gonds
>who collect the honey in October also poach the eggs but this has
>been going on since time=85, so it can not be a major reason for
>disappearance."
>
>3. Ameen Ahmad, a young active member of BNHS, writes "Longbilled
>Vulture is one of the four species of vultures in Devarayana
>Durga state forest, a 44 sq. km patch of forest, 6 km to the east
>of Tumkur town in Karnataka=85. I have had the opportunity to
>monitor a nesting colony of these beautiful scavengers at DD
>hills since 1991 until they abandoned it in 1996. The vultures
>used to nest on the inaccessible cliffs below the Yoga Narasimha
>Swamy temple.  The number of nest was very small, although
>constant at 8.=85 Although I am not able to pin point the exact
>cause, I believe tourism might be one of the major reasons=85. More
>alarmingly, I have not seen even one Long-billed vulture across
>south Karnataka since 1996. Even my encounters with the
>White-backed vultures have decreased. I certainly have reasons to
>believe that even their numbers are decreasing alarmingly. A sad
>news indeed !"
>
>4. Bakul of Bhavnagar, another BNHS member writes: During 1955 to
>1960, I visited eastern part of Bhavnagar every month. There is a
>bone factory there. In my every  visit, near Bone factory I
>always saw about 10 Scavenger Vultures and 20 or more
>White-backed. After 1975 not a single vulture is seen near that
>factory. Near Jawahar Maidan (field)- this place is in the middle
>of city- there are some tall trees. Some vultures were staying
>there. I have seen them roosting. People of city were dumping
>dead  dogs in that field. So food and home were nicely situated.
>This I have seen up to 1980. But today, trees are there and dead
>dogs and pigs are also available but not a single vulture.
>
>4. Khalid Pasha of the Wildlife Institute of India, working on
>Gaur in Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh, found dead
>vultures on waterholes during summer. Most of them appeared sick
>before dying.
>
>5. Rajat Bhargava, of the Centre for Wildlife and Ornithology,
>Aligarh Muslim University writes: In January this year (1998) I
>had gone to Hapur from Delhi, via Pilakhua and returned from
>Bulandshahr via Dadri. In our full day search in excellent
>vulture areas we could see 5 White-backed perched in Hapur and
>not more then 30 in all soaring the sky. In an area about 10 km
>before Hapur where there was a huge pile of bones with decaying
>meat, we spotted about 80-100 Egyptian vultures, 200-300 Cattle
>egrets, 1000-1500 House/Jungle crows and 100 dogs but hardly
>10-12 Long-billed and White-backed vultures perched nearby.
>(Please note Rajat visited perhaps one of the finest vultures
>areas of India where Long-billed and White-backed were seen in
>thousands a couple of years ago)
>
>6. Navjot Singh, a student member of BNHS from Patiala in Punjab
>writes in January 1999: About one and half years ago, vultures
>were not seen in the skies of my city =85 in a radius of about 5 km
>around it but since about two months back, I have again reported
>their sightings. Nowadays, I am able to see at least 5-10
>vultures in a day. I don=92t know the reason behind this, but I am
>really happy to see them again.
>     *****************
>
>In a carcass processing plant at Korakendra, Bapane, in Vasai
>taluka, 60 km from Bombay city in Maharashtra, hundreds of
>White-backed vultures could be seen in 1980s. I visited the area
>in 1988 and counted more than 300 vultures.  Now not a single
>vulture is seen in that area.
>
>Dr. S. M. Satheesan of the WWF-India claims that vultures have
>disappeared due to lack of food, and lack of perching and nesting
>sites (see Down to Earth, July 15, 1999, p. 11). He advocates
>creating vulture restaurants (see Outlook magazine, 28 June 1999,
>p. 79). I think, Dr. Satheesan is totally wrong on all the three
>points: From all over the country, I have received reports that
>carcasses are lying uneaten by vultures so where is the question
>of scarcity of food! Actually, villagers were the first to notice
>the declining vulture numbers when they found that carcasses are
>rotting. Dr. Vibhu Prakash=92s study at Bharatpur (see below)
>proves that scarcity of food is not the problem. Perching and
>nesting sites have also not decreased significantly. Just outside
>WWF office at Delhi, Dr. Parikshit Gautam of Wetland Division,
>used to see nests of vultures on tall trees growing on Lodhi Road
>but now they are not there. Tara Gandhi, another very fine
>ornithologists writes that she does not find any nest near her
>house (in the sprawling Presidential campus in Delhi). So where
>is the question of scarcity of perching and nesting sites? Have
>we cut all the tall trees? Anyway, in the absence of tall trees,
>Whitebacked Vultures can nest on smaller trees such as Khejri
>(Prosopis cinerarea). I have seen many nests on Khejri at height
>ranging from 3-5 metres. Moreover, they can nest on houses. I
>have seen nests on houses in a small village in Kutch. Vultures,
>like most birds, are quite adaptable.
>     *****************
>Finally, I would like to share with you the comparative studies
>on vultures by Dr. Vibhu Prakash, Principal Scientist of BNHS.
>His paper will be published soon in the Journal of the Bombay
>Natural History Society. Dr. Vibhu Prakash is one of the foremost
>raptor specialists in India. In the 1980s, he worked in a project
>of BNHS-US Fish & Wildlife Service at Keoladeo National Park,
>Bharatpur. He was enrolled for M.Sc through research but when he
>submitted his thesis on raptors, both the BNHS and the Bombay
>University found it so good and exhaustive that it was suggested
>that he submit it for Ph.D. Presently, Dr. Vibhu is again based
>at Bharatpur and leading three major projects on raptors, funded
>by US Fish & Wildlife Service, beside a project on Siberian Crane
>funded by Ministry of Environment, Government of India.
>
>The following information is based on Dr. Vibhu=92s forthcoming
>paper :Status of vultures in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur,
>Rajasthan with special reference to population crash in Gyps spp.
>
>Out of the 8 species of vultures reported from the Indian
>subcontinent 7 are recorded from Keoladeo NP. Only the Bearded
>Vulture, Gypeatus barbatus is not recorded from the Park. Four
>species are residents and three altitudinal migrants in the Park.
>The residents are the White-backed Vulture, Long-billed Vulture,
>Egyptian Vulture and King Vulture. The Indian Griffon, Himalayan
>Griffon and Cinereous Vulture are altitudinal migrants. The
>White-backed, King and Egyptian vultures regularly nest in the
>Park whereas, the Long-billed nests at the nearest cliffs about
>50 km southwest of the Park.
>
>1. White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis
>A 96% decline in the population was observed over the last one
>decade. During 1985-86 the highest population of 2000 vultures
>(density=3D69/ sq. km) was recorded whereas, maximum of only 86
>vulture were recorded during 1998-99 (density=3D3/ sq. km). The
>nesting population of vulture also crashed by 95% over a decade.
>For instance,  363 pairs (nest density=3D12.17 nest / sq. km) were
>recorded nesting during 1987-88 but only 150 nests were recorded
>during 1996-97, 25 nests during 1997-98 and just twenty 20 (nest
>density=3D0.68 nest/ sq. kin) in 1998-99. A sharp decline in the
>breeding success of the vulture was recorded over a decade. The
>nesting success was recorded as 82 % (n=3D244) in 1985-86 but its
>was nil during 1997-98 (n=3D25) and 1998-99 (n=3D20).
>
>2. Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus
>It is a resident bird and nests about 50 km south west of the
>Park. The birds are however seen in the Park through out the
>year. Their number starts building up from November and the
>population reaches a peak in March- April. The population of
>long-billed declined by over 97 % over a decade. A maximum of 816
>birds (density=3D28 birds/sq. km) were recorded during 1985-86 but
>only 25 birds (.86 birds/ sq. km) were recorded during 1998-99.
>
>During 1985-86, on an average 80 vultures were sighted on a
>cattle carcass of which 69%  were White-backed and 31 were
>Long-billed. None of the carcasses were observed without
>vultures. However, during 1998-99, a total of 100 carcasses were
>sighted from November till May, but 92 % were without any
>vulture. On an average 19 vultures were sighted on a carcass
>(n=3D8), of which 63% were White-backed Vultures and 37% were
>Long-billed Vultures.
>
>
>3. Indian Griffon Gyps fulvus
>It is a winter migrant to the Park. 25-30 birds were observed
>wintering in the Park every year. The population has shown a
>downwards trend over the last decade. Only two birds were
>observed during 1997-98 and none during 1998-99. Despite
>availability of food and much reduced competitions from other
>vultures, the population of this species did not increase but
>showed a drastic decline. Although Griffon is known to winter at
>number of places in the Indian subcontinent, the drastic decline
>in population when food and habitat is available in abundance,
>could indicate a decline in its over all population.
>
>4. Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayaensis
>It is an uncommon winter migrant to the Park. A few juveniles
>regularly wintered in the Park in 1985-86. No bird has been seen
>since 1996--97. Every winter up to five  individuals are sighted.
>No birds were sighted during 1997-98 and 1998-99, despite
>availability of food and habitat in the Park. The intense
>competition from other vulture species for food was also reduced
>due to the population crash but no increase in population of the
>species was observed. It could also indicate decline in the
>population of the species. Probably a survey in its known range
>will give a better picture.
>
>5. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
>The breeding population of this species has remained stable in
>the Park over the last ten years. 3-5 pairs were recorded nesting
>during 1987-88, 90-91, 96-97 and 98-99. The vulture is largely a
>cliff nester and occasionally nests on trees. Absence of its
>preferred nesting habitat could be a limiting factor for its
>nesting population in the Park.
>The population of Egyptian Vulture has also showed a decline
>although there is very limited data on their population. Between
>350 to 400 vultures were estimated during April 1986, whereas
>only 100-120 vultures were recorded during April 1998 and 25
>vultures during April 1999. The fall in number could be largely
>because of difference in food availability. There number
>increases due to the drying up of water as they come to feed on
>dead fish. However, the low breeding success of the bird is a
>cause of concern. The breeding success has been nil during the
>last two years while  50% success was recorded between 1985 to
>1988.
>
>6. King Vulture Sarcogyps calvus
>It is a resident species and is seen in the Park throughout the
>year. Fairly stable population of this species is seen in the
>Park. Over the last decade 4-5 pairs are observed, and 3-4 pairs
>regularly nest. Very few first year birds are sighted. Perhaps
>all the young ones disperse out of the Park. The nesting success
>has been erratic but has been recorded low since 1991.
>
>7. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius calvus
>It is a rare winter visitor to the Park. Three birds were
>recorded during 1991-92 and were seen through out the year. The
>bird is a common visitor to western Rajasthan.
>
>To investigate the major causes of decline in the population of
>Gyps species, the ecological factors, which could have caused
>major changes in the population, were examined:
>
>1. Food Supply: Every month 20-25 carcasses are seen in the Park
>with very few or no vultures on them so food was not the limiting
>factor.
>
>2. Nesting and Perch Site: Most of the large trees where earlier
>nests were found are still present.
>
>3. Effect of Chemical Pesticides and Insecticides: The breeding
>failure could, understandably be due to organo-chlorine
>contamination in the tissue, but cause of adult mortality is
>still not clear. There have been no observations where large
>scale deaths of vultures have occurred after feeding on a
>carcass. The mortality has been sporadic and widespread.
>
>4. Poisoning: There has been no observation on carcass poisoning
>in and around the Park. No large scale mortality has been
>observed in vultures after consuming meat from the carcass. There
>have been instances of village cows dying after deliberately
>being fed on rodenticide Zinc sulphide by the hide collector. No
>mortality was seen after vultures fed on the poisoned carcasses.
>Thus poisoning does not seem to be a major cause of decline in
>vulture population.
>
>5. Outbreak of Disease: There is a possibility of a viral
>disease, which has probably caused the widespread mortality in
>the adults and juveniles. . The birds do appear sick before they
>die. They perch on a branch of tree, appear drowsy and would
>frequently dose off with the neck limp and hanging. The vulture
>would wake up with a start and would pull up the neck. After a
>while the neck would again go limp and the same sequence will be
>repeated. The bird would remain at the same place for 4-5 days
>and would then fall on the ground and die.
>
>6. Calcium Deficiency: Some chick mortality in the country could
>be due to calcium deficiency. But this needs to be investigated
>further.
>
>(For full paper, please wait for the Journal of the Bombay
>Natural History Society, vol. 96(3), 1999. Please do not use data
>without our permission).
>
>I request the readers of this note to send us information on
>vultures. We have developed a questionnaire proforma to seek more
>information. Please write to me if you would like to fill up this
>proforma. I also seek your comment on the establishment of Indian
>Vulture Study Group (which is still at a nebulous stage).
>
>There is an urgent need to conduct all-India survey of all
>vulture species. BNHS has submitted a project to the Ministry of
>Environment, Government of India but it will take some time to
>get funds (perhaps a year). We are urgently looking for some
>grants to at least start collating data. Can you suggest any
>funding agency or agencies.  We  require about 2 lakhs (=3D 5,000
>US dollars) to start this preliminary work. There is also a need
>to start an All-India Coordinated Research Project on Pesticide
>Poisoning to Wildlife, because we suspect that like vultures,
>many other species are disappearing. Thirdly, there is an urgent
>need to campaign against the use of persistent biocides which are
>destroying our life-support systems. When such common species
>like vultures can suddenly disappear, what about the rare ones.
>
>
>ASAD R. RAHMANI
>Director,  Bombay Natural History Society
>Hornbill House, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road,
>Mumbai 400 023, INDIA
>
>Phone: 091 022 2821811
>Fax: 091 022 2837615
>E-mail: bnhs@bom3.vsnl.net.in (for Director)
>  bnhs@bom4.vsnl.net.in (for rest of BNHS staff)

_______________________________________________________
Madhusudan Katti
Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08540, USA

Tel:  +1 (609) 258-1935
=46AX: +1 (609) 258-1712
Email: mkatti@princeton.edu
Web: www.princeton.edu/~mkatti
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