Vulture
Why in news:
WWF-India’s Director of Nature Conservation Programme, Ratul Saha, authored a detailed article highlighting how vultures, as nature’s scavengers, are critical to public health, especially in the context of pandemic preparedness. The article argues that protecting vultures is cheaper and more effective than tackling disease outbreaks post-facto. The discussion is linked to India’s National Action Plan on Vulture Conservation and global frameworks like the One Health approach.
UPSC Relevance:
UPSC CSE in prelims examination has focused on Species in news. Every year UPSC had asked at least one question related to species. A case in point is a following PYQ.
UPSC PYQ:
Q. Vultures which used to be very common in Indian countryside some years ago are rarely seen nowadays. This is attributed to (2012)
(a) the destruction of their nesting sites by new invasive species
(b) a drug used by cattle owners for treating their diseased cattle
(c) scarcity of food available to them
(d) a widespread, persistent and fatal disease among them.
About Indian Vulture:
- A light brown, medium-sized vulture. It has whitish feathers on a dark head and neck, a pale bill, and a pale collar which is more prominent behind the neck.
- Closely related to the European Griffon, the Indian Vulture is mainly found in forests, grasslands and shrublands. Like many other vulture species, it is also observed near human-occupied spaces like cities, towns and agricultural areas.
Distribution:
- Gyps indicus breeds in south-east Pakistan and peninsular India south of the Gangetic plain, north to Delhi, east through Madhya Pradesh, south to the Nilgiris.
- This was first noticed in Keoladeo National Park, India .
Conservation Efforts:
- A Vulture Breeding Centre has been established at Pinjore, Haryana.
- The Government of India has banned the veterinary use of Diclofenac.
- An “Ex-situ Vulture Breeding Program” has been initiated.
- Steps are being taken to strengthen in-situ conservation for the protection of the existing population.