Save Vulture

                                                                     Save vultures

   Vultures are birds of prey that live in communities and anthropogenic environments and are generally very dependent on human activities.   The Vulture underwent dramatic declines in India and other Asian countries during the 1990s and 2000s according to the experts.  

  In the case of vulture decline, the main cause is the use of diclofenac as a pain-killer for livestock. Vulture consumed diclofenac pestered carcasses and died. Today there is a ban using veterinary diclofenac but disappearing Vulture indicates a suspect use of the drug in villages by  vaterian doctor. 

     Decline in vulture population increases the number of wild dogs, and they carry diseases (rabies) from rotting carcasses and are responsible for thousands of human deaths. Today in India, 30,000 people die from rabies each year, these dogs bite causes extra burden on the government for treating the victims. Researchers have shown that the decline of vultures has cost India 34 billion US dollars. 

    

Conserving and preserving forest land for vulture habitat will make an ecosystem clean and save a million dollars of the country.  The government has announced a special package for scheduled bird conservation, like vultures. But the use of funds and impact oriented execution should go hand in hand for sustaining the programmes. 

  

   In Raigad, we find three resident species of Gyps vulture, chiefly White-backed Vulture, Long-billed Vulture and Slender-billed Vulture. The location of these wonderful birds nesting colonies finds in Mhasla, Mahad, Shrivardhan and Pali Sudhagad. 

  Sagar Mestri served as teacher and later an education officer in Gurukul an English medium school Mahad.  He was also an active part of Sahyadry group, a proactive cadre of youths devotes to protect the nature habitats. Sagar’s passion for nature and its habitats grew to the extent that he left the job to work full time as a bird lover.   He strongly advocates vulture conservation in Raigad. His passion had driven him to the African subcontinent, a one-month study tour in the Mongolian forest.

“Vulture likes to ride on toll trees to breed their nestings” He says.  “The forest in Raigad has quite a favorable habitat for vulture conservation.” He added.    

  Sagar has successfully conducted a meeting with villagers and they  have passed a resolution to reserve the feeding ground for vultures in chirgaon phapat Mhasla, Nanemachi and Raigadwadi in Mahad, Jasawali in Shrivardhan, and Pali Sudhagad. The villagers dump their deceased cattle only on the feeding ground. This helps to keep the  forest clean and free from bacteria spreads.

  Raigad has also a rich habitat for wildlife and a best place to spend a weekend holiday in Raigad