NASHIK: New vulture conservation breeding centres to come in five states to conserve the endangered vulture population and will function as a breeding centre. As centre set up got permitted at Nashik, the vulture population found in Anjaneri, Trimbakeshwar, and its surrounding areas can now be conserved.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has formulated an Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025. According to this plan, five vulture conservation breeding centres, a vulture safe zone, and other measures will be taken. A provision of Rs 406 crore has been made for this. Anjaneri, Trimbakeshwar, Bramhagiri, Metghar fort, Waghera Ghat, and Khoripada area in Nashik have the presence of white-backed vultures.
Nashik forest department, Nature Conservation Society, environmentalists, and bird lovers took efforts for their conservation. Vulture restaurants have already been started at two places. The forest department’s idea to attract vultures through the restaurant is an attempt to conserve them in the wake of the rapid decline of the vulture population in the country. In many places, captive breeding is practiced, but the forest department of Nashik territorial came up with this idea to involve the locals as well.
Meanwhile, of the total 23 vulture species across the world, bearded vulture, Cinereous vulture, Egyptian vulture, Himalayan vulture, Eurasian griffon, long-billed, red-headed, slender-billed, and oriental white-backed vulture are found in India.
However, long-billed vulture, slender-billed vulture, and oriental white-backed vulture are found only in Nashik. Rest six species are on the verge of extinction. Nashik has the highest population of the oriental white-backed vulture.
