Haryana acts for conservation of vultures

Chandigarh, Dec 5 (UNI) The Haryana government is taking a number of steps for the conservation, maintenance and breeding of the endangered species of vultures in Haryana.

Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Forests) H C Disodia the state government would spend an amount of Rs 50 lakh for the conservation and breeding of vultures at the Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centre (VCBC) set up at Pinjore.

Mr Disodia said as many as 116 vultures were being kept at the Pinjore Centre. However, only two eggs were laid during the last breeding season but none of them hatched so far.

It was also decided that an annual action plan would be prepared by a committee of experts under the chairmanship of Chief Wildlife Warden R D Jakati.

He said the population of the most abandoned species of vultures named White Backed, Long billed and Slender billed were on decline over the last 15 years and at present these species were virtually on the verge of extinction.

Initially, it was believed that these vultures were dying because of some virus but during 2004 it was detected that the veterinary drug 'Diclofenac', a pain killer given to the animals, was the prime cause of mortality of these vultures, he added.

He said the Vulture Conservation Programme in the state was launched in 2001 when a Vulture Care Centre was established at Pinjore by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in collaboration with the Haryana Forests Department.

After the detection of the cause of mortality among the vultures, the emphasis of the programme had been shifted to the conservation and breeding of this critically endangered species.

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