The International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) is annually observed across the globe on the 1st Saturday of September to raise awareness about Vulture conservation and the important role these birds play in ecosystems.
- IVAD also aims to highlight the ecological importance of vultures and the conservation challenges they face.
IVAD 2024 falls on 7 September 2024.
- IVAD 2023 was observed on 2 September 2023;
- IVAD 2025 will be observed on 6 September 2025.
History:
i.The IVAD emerged in 2006 through collaboration between the:
- Birds of Prey Programme of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in South Africa and
- The Hawk Conservancy Trust (HCT) in England (the United Kingdom (UK)).
ii.This initiative has transcended borders and later became a global event, with hundreds of organisers and thousands of participants.
iii.Today, IVAD is championed by the EWT, HCT, and the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), Switzerland, on behalf of the Vulture Specialist Group (VSG).
About Vultures:
i.Vultures are classified into 2 groups based on their geographic distribution and characteristics:Old World and New World vultures.
ii.Old World Vultures are found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are part of the Accipitridae family, which includes eagles and hawks.
- Some Old World Vultures include Bearded Vultures, Cape Vultures, Egyptian Vultures, Indian Vultures, etc.
iii.New World Vultures are native to the Americas and belong to the Cathartidae family.
- Some New World Vultures include the American Black Vultures, Andean Condor, King Vultures, Turkey Vultures, etc.
Significance:
i.Vultures act as nature’s clean-up crew playing a crucial role in maintaining the health of our ecosystems by consuming dead animals.
ii.Their scavenging activities likely help control the spread of diseases, protecting both wildlife and humans.
iii.By consuming carcasses, vultures help recycle nutrients back into the soil, potentially promoting vegetation growth.
Threats and Conservation:
i.Approximately 70% of vulture species are classified as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered.
ii.The alarming challenges faced by Vultures that threaten their very existence are:
- Destruction of natural habitats is reducing their living spaces.
- Pesticides and toxins in carcasses harm vulture populations.
- Illegal wildlife trade is exacerbating their decline.
iii.The Vultures Multi-species Action Plan(Vulture MsAP) to Conserve African-Eurasian under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals provides a framework for the conservation of all 15 African-Eurasian vulture species across their vast range.
WWF-India Launches Vulture Count 2024 to Safeguard Vulture
Worldwide Fund for Nature -India(WWF– India)in collaboration with the Bird Count India (BCI), and eBird launched Vulture Count 2024, a vulture estimating program across India. The count from September 7th to October 6th, 2024.
- This is the 4th annual program, which invites citizen birders, ornithologists, photographers, and naturalists to participate in the vulture census.
Goals and Benefits:
i.The Vulture Count 2024 aims to track vulture populations, gather baseline data to track population trends, identify critical habitats, and assess environmental impacts.
ii.This data will guide conservation strategies and policies, and boost public awareness and support for vulture conservation.
Key Points:
i.This month-long crucial citizen-science initiative is aimed at monitoring and conserving India’s vulture populations.
ii.The count will focus on key vulture species, including the white-rumped vulture, Indian vulture, bearded vulture, Eurasian griffon, etc.
iii.To increase public participation in the count, WWF-India hosted a virtual orientation session conducted by expert birder Nirav Bhatt on 6th September 2024, to train volunteers in vulture identification in their respective areas.
Threats to Indian Vultures:
Ingestion of toxic Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) (like diclofenac) used in livestock, Habitat loss, Electrocution, Food scarcity, and Human disturbances.
About Worldwide Fund for Nature -India(WWF-India):
President– Arvind Wable
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Established– 1969
