BNHS Holds Workshop In Melghat Ahead Of Release Of 15 Critically Endangered Long-Billed Vultures To Strengthen Conservation Efforts

Mumbai: Ahead of the release of the 15 Long-billed vultures, or Indian vultures, a critically endangered species, in Melghat Tiger Reserve, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) conducted a one-day workshop on 'Bringing back The Apex scavenger' at Shahanur, Akot wildlife division, district Akola, Maharashtra in Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR).

Critically endangered vultures to be released after acclimatisation

The 15 vultures were brought from the conservation and breeding centre in Pinjore, Haryana, in April 2025 to be released in the MTR. The vultures have been trained in feeding on their own and also to acclimatise in the local environment in the last eight months. The workshop was jointly organised by the BNHS, the Maharashtra forest department and brought together around 30 animal husbandry practitioners from Amravati and Buldhana district, wildlife veterinarians and field biologists from MTR. The workshop had sessions on vulture conservation, husbandry care, reintroduction protocol, rescue and rehabilitation. Rahul Singh Tolia, deputy chief conservator of forest, Akot wildlife division addressed the participants.

Dr Krishna, senior veterinarian working at the BNHS Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre (VCBC), Rani, Assam, highlighted BNHS's role in vulture conservation. He also explained the probable incidents which may happen after vultures are released and how to tackle the situation and treat the birds.

BNHS outlines post-release challenges and response measure

Sooryajit Soorya P, conservation biologist at BNHS, spoke on the ecological importance of vulture, and how to identify the vulture species, cultural and mythological importance. A presentation by Abhijit Das, conservation biologist, BNHS, described the historical evidence of vulture in Satpura Hills and vulture safe zone activity, road transect to detect concentration of birds, pharmacy survey to find the effect of veterinary medicines on vulture that feed of cattle carcases and food availability in MTR.

The participants were also taken to a pre-release aviary site at Somthana where Dr Krishna demonstrated the participants how to capture vultures and correct method of handling them and the drug administration site and morphological measurements. Das described how monitoring is done remotely at the aviary through CCTV camera and maintenance of enclosure.. The participants observed the conservation practices and exchanged knowledge aimed at strengthening food availability, addressing toxic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) issues and state-level coordination efforts. NSAIDS, residues of which are found in cattle carcases that vultures feed on, damage the birds' kidneys. This has been the primary reason for the near-extinction of India's vultures.

Kishor Rithe, director of BNH, said that the workshop will be very helpful for the success of the vulture release programme in MTR.

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