Recent Dudhwa survey: Eight of nine vulture species in India sighted in park
Over 300 vultures spotted in Dudhwa National Park and its buffer zone, including 8 endangered species, signaling successful wildlife conservation efforts.
Nature’s own scavangers (vultures) are back in Dudhwa in large numbers, endorsing the bio-diversity conservation of Dudhwa and its ecology.
Dudhwa has earned a global reputation for the conservation of Royal Bengal tigers, one-horned rhinos, swamp deer and many other carnivores, herbivores, aquatic and avian species.
In a recently concluded survey conducted at the Dudhwa National Park (DNP) and its buffer zone, over 300 vultures were sighted at different locations feeding on animal carcasses, said Vipin Kapoor Sainy, field biologist, Dudhwa.
“What makes the recent discovery of vultures even more significant is that among the nine species found in India, eight species, namely Eurasian Griffin, Himalyan Griffin, white-rumped vulture, cinerous vulture, red-headed vulture, Egyptian vulture, slender-billed vulture and Indian vulture were sighted in Dudhwa and its buffer during a fortnight-long field survey,” added Sainy.
“During a field survey along with two research scholars from Aligarh Muslim University, Syed Basit Miyan and Aqsa Jaseem, who are researching swamp deer conservation in Dudhwa, he witnessed vultures feeding on carcasses on February 18 in Dudhwa forests.”
“Enthused by the sighting of such a large number of vultures, we surveyed various locations in the core zone and buffer zone for the next few days and sighted vultures - 265 in Pharsahiya, 75 at Bela Khurd, Bela Kalan and Majhgain, 19 at the railway line near Sharda river,” he said.
He added that sightings were documented and intimated to deputy field director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Rengaraju Tamilselven and deputy director, buffer zone, Saureesh Sahay.
Elated with the sightings of vultures counted among endangered species, Tamilselven said that the presence of eight species of vultures in Dudhwa was a major achievement in terms of wildlife conservation and protection of biodiversity of Dudhwa.
Sahay said the presence of eight species of vultures in Dudhwa was a healthy sign of rich environment of Dudhwa and efforts towards conservation of wildlife would continue.
DEO KANT PANDEY