Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Three-day vulture census 2024-25 commenced across Madhya Pradesh on Monday. The census, being conducted in two phases, will help in ascertaining the rise in vulture population, as the officers are keeping their fingers crossed. The last vulture census placed their population over 10,000 in the state.
The most common vulture spotted in the state includes King Vulture, Long Billed Vulture, White Backed Vulture among others. The census is being carried out in all forested areas, national parks, tiger reserves and sanctuaries. The vulture census is carried out annually. In 2016-17, the vulture population stood at 7,029 and in 2018-19 their number grew to 8,397, followed by 9,446 in 2020-21.
The vulture population continues to see a rise in the state with their number growing to over 10000 in 2022-23. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve field director Anupam Shahay said that inside the reserve, the living places of vultures are almost identified. The forest area is divided for the vulture census and accordingly the census teams are being deployed. In wake of good work being done under the vulture conservation head, the forest officials are hoping that the vulture population may cross the previous figure. It is learnt that the highest number of vultures are in Panna Tiger Reserve.
Van Vihar runs the vulture shelter house which has some rare species of vultures brought from Haryana. The state was home to thousands of vultures of different species. But due to use of diclofenac medicine for treatment of ailing Cattle, the vulture population dropped drastically. The reason is that when cattle treated with diclofenac dies, vultures feed on it. As they consume meat having a component of diclofenac they perish. Seeing this, the government had banned diclofenac.
