Koderma forest div discusses ways to conserve vultures
The programme brought together para-veterinarians, livestock owners, and officials from the animal husbandry and forest departments.
Satya Prakash, a bird expert and state coordinator of the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), addressed the attendees. He explained how vultures ingest lethal residues of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when feeding on carcasses of treated cattle, which leads to renal failure and eventual death in vultures, particularly from visceral gout caused by diclofenac toxicity.
"The loss of vultures results in the unregulated decomposition of carcasses, increasing the risk of disease spread such as rabies and anthrax," Prakash said. He urged cattle owners to switch to vulture-safe alternatives like meloxicam, a proven non-toxic NSAID.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) Saumitra Shukla underscored the collective responsibility of stakeholders, "The conservation of vultures is essential to prevent ecological collapse.
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The forest, veterinary, and municipal departments, along with local cattle owners, must work in tandem."
He said that animal carcasses found on roads or in fields due to accidents would now be transported to the "Vulture Restaurant" established at Gumo, a safe feeding site for vultures. This initiative ensures that vultures receive uncontaminated food and helps prevent environmental pollution caused by decaying bodies.
The DFO also revealed that Koderma falls under the Hazaribag Vulture Safe Zone, a designated conservation area. According to the baseline survey conducted in 2024, four species of vultures — including the critically endangered white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) — were recorded in Koderma, with approximately 250 spotted in Telaiya Dam, Chandwara, and Jamukhari.
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