Vultures Take Flight: Conservation Boost At Melghat Tiger Reserve

In a significant step for wildlife conservation, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in collaboration with the Maharashtra Forest Department has successfully tagged 15 long-billed vultures at Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati district. The tagging programme, conducted on December 19, is part of India’s broader vulture reintroduction and monitoring initiative. These vultures, also known as Indian vultures, are critically endangered and play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance as apex scavengers.  

Key highlights from the announcement include  

• Out of the 15 vultures, 11 were fitted with GSM tags and four with satellite PTT tags.  
• The tags were attached using a safe backpack-style harness method known as harnessing.  
• All vultures were also fitted with blue leg rings marked with identification numbers, denoting India as the tagging country and Maharashtra as the release site.  
• The tagging will help study migration patterns, lifespan, survival rates, and population dynamics.  
• The initiative was led by Dr Sachin Ranade with support from Bhaskar Das and Athira under the Vulture Reintroduction Programme.  
• Ahead of the release, BNHS conducted a workshop titled ‘Bringing Back The Apex Scavenger’ to train forest staff and veterinarians in handling and monitoring the birds.  
• The vultures were acclimatised for months to adapt to local conditions before tagging and release.  
• Melghat Tiger Reserve was chosen as a new habitat following successful rehabilitation efforts in Pench Tiger Reserve.  

This project marks a milestone in India’s conservation journey, ensuring that critically endangered vultures are given a chance to thrive in safe habitats. By combining scientific research, community awareness, and government support, the initiative strengthens India’s commitment to biodiversity and ecological sustainability.  

Sources: PTI via NewsDrum, Free Press Journal, Times of India, Telangana Today, Devdiscourse