Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Van Vihar National Park authorities have sent a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to construct a soft release aviary near Halali Dam, aimed at gradually introducing captive-bred vultures to wild conditions.
Currently, the vultures are kept in closed enclosures at the Vulture Conservation Centre in Kerwa, surrounded by walls and covered by tin sheds, and are fed goat meat.
The proposed aviary, spread over around 800 square feet, would be net-covered, allowing birds to see surrounding areas and interact with wild vultures. In this setup, they would be fed cattle meat, helping them adjust to natural food sources.
A senior Van Vihar official said that once captive vultures acclimatise in the soft release aviary, authorities will gradually open it to let birds understand the wild environment. Such a method was successfully implemented earlier in Punjab, and Van Vihar officials hope for similar results.
Earlier, in April 2025, six captive-bred vultures were released into the Halali Dam area. Three died within days as they could not find food, while the remaining three were recaptured and returned to the Vulture Conservation Centre.
Van Vihar Director Vijay Kumar told Free Press, Proposal has been sent to CZA to release captive vultures into the soft release aviary. Permission is awaited.
Eurasian Griffon in Rajasthan
The Eurasian Griffon vulture, geo-tagged by Van Vihar before flying back to its native Kazakhstan in May 2025, has reached Rajasthan and stayed there for several days. Officials believe it is enjoying local conditions and are closely monitoring its movements, hoping to see it return to forests in Madhya Pradesh soon.
