Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh): Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary spread over Mandsaur and Neemuch districts of Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the best place for nestling critically endangered vulture as birds’ numbers up by 174 from previous survey conducted in 2021.
This was revealed after three-day vulture survey concluded at the Gandhi Sagar Forest Sanctuary area of Mandsaur district on Sunday.
In the vulture count, around 850 vultures, belong to four species found in Mandsaur district, including 803 from Gandhi Sagar and Bhanpura area alone. This number is 20 percent higher than the previous survey, which was held in 2021.
The state level census of vultures, which is conducted every two years, was done between February 16 and 18. In this, four species have been found in the natural habitat of vultures in the Gandhi Sagar and Bhanpura forest sanctuary areas of Mandsaur district. According to experts, three species of vultures migrate in the winter season due to the favourable environment here.
20 percent increase in vulture count
This time, 803 vultures have been counted in Gandhi Sagar, Bhanpura Garoth area. Their number in the district is around 850. The special thing is that this time in the vulture census, which lasted for 3 days, their new habitat has also been revealed.
This time, the number of vultures has increased compared to the last census. During the census conducted in the year 2021, 676 vultures of different species were found. Who was second in the state. Now their number has increased to more than 850.
Vultures are nature's cleaners
Vultures obtain their food only by eating dead animals. For this reason, they are also known as nature's cleaners. The sanctuary's conservation efforts, including banning diclofenac, have played a crucial role in the vulture population's recovery. This increase in numbers is a positive sign for the overall ecosystem health in the region.
For the conservation of vultures, it is very important to identify their nesting sites and protect them. So that their numbers can increase. To protect vultures, people were also made aware of the importance of vultures in nature and the adverse consequences of their decreasing numbers.
Vulture Survey Key Points
According to primary census data, a maximum of 803 vultures were seen in Gandhisagar Sanctuary and surrounding rural areas this year. Also, a total of 850 vultures were found during the census, including in Gandhisagar, Bhanpura, Garoth, and Mandsaur forest areas under the Mandsaur forest division. Which is more than the previous vulture census figure of 676 in the year 2021.
Volunteers also actively participated in making people aware of the importance of vultures in nature and the adverse consequences of their decreasing numbers.
Apart from the volunteers who came from outside, local volunteers from Gandhisagar - Shri Krishna Kant Goswami, Shri Puran Mata, Shri Nitesh Chanal, Shri Himanshu Rathore - and volunteers from the Gandhisagar Floating Festival also joined.
