In accordance with the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025 which was approved on October 5, 2020 by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), the five states viz. Uttar Pradesh (UP), Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will get vulture conservation and breeding centre each.
- Also, as a part of this plan there will be establishment of four rescue centres, in Pinjore (Haryana), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Guwahati (Assam) and Hyderabad (Telangana). Currently there is no dedicated rescue centre for treating vultures.
- The focus of this plan is to prevent the declining vulture population especially of the three Gyps species (a genus of Old World vultures native to India) viz. Oriental white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), and Long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus).
- It should be noted that the previous action plan was formulated in 2006 for three years.
Key Points from Action Plan:
–A new veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) will be tested on vultures before their commercial release.
- NSAIDS often poisons cattle whose carcasses the birds prey on.
- Notably, vultures are also known as nature’s cleanup crew as they do the work of cleaning up after death by acting as natural carcass recyclers, helping to keep ecosystems healthy.
–This plan mooted a system of automatically removal of drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures, with the help of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
–There will be Conservation breeding of red-Headed vultures and Egyptian vultures and the establishment of at least one vulture-safe zone in each state.
–In order to get a more accurate estimate of vulture population, there will be Coordinated nation-wide vulture counting, involving forest departments, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), research institutes, non-profits and members of the public.
Vulture Multi-Species Action Plan:
Vulture Multi-species Action Plan (Vulture MsAP) was adopted at the Twelfth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP12) held in Manila, the Philippines in 2017.
- In 2020, the first strategy of Vulture MsAP plan was launched at CMS COP13 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat held on February 15-22, 2020.
Recent Related News:
i.On August 15, 2020, PM Narendra Modi announced the “Project Dolphin” for the conservation and protection of the Dolphins in the country. The Project Dolphin will involve conservation of Dolphins and the aquatic habitat through use of modern technology specially in enumeration and anti-poaching activities.
ii.On August 15, 2020, PM Narendra Modi announced “Project Lion” for the conservation of endangered Asiatic Lion involving habitat development by engaging modern technologies in management and addressing the issue of diseases in lion and its associated species through advanced world-class research and veterinary care. The project would also address the Human-Wildlife conflict.
About National Board for Wildlife (NBWL):
The NBWL is constituted by the Central Government under Section 5 A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA). It serves as an apex body to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries.
- It is chaired by India’s Prime Minister.
