Jan 09, 2007 :: Vultures may return

India has been lauded for initiatives to safeguard the survival of three species of Indian vultures that have been poisoned to near extinction by a veterinary drug they ingest from dead cattle. Vulture population came down by 97% in 15 years and last year, the Indian government acted. It banned dicolfenac and recommended a harmless alternative, meloxicam in its stead. However growing back a new population may be slow as it may take a decade before residual poisoning ceases. But at least India has begun doing something about it.

Meanwhile, in active collaboration with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds [RSPB], two vulture breeding centres were set up in Hariyana and West Bengal with a stock of 127 vultures. Today there was happy news from Pinjore, Hariyana: a first set of chicks of the Oriental white-backed vultures was hatched in captivity, a piece of news widely applauded by conservationists.  Background News report