CWRC, Assam 26th April 2024: A Himalayan Griffon vulture found collapsed on the roadside, was rescued by villagers in Bokakhat town of Golaghat district, Assam. Concerned for its well-being, they promptly alerted the Assam Forest Department leading to its timely rescue and transfer to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Kaziranga.

The vulture was discovered by villagers who immediately alerted the forest department | Photo by Oviya

At CWRC, a collaborative effort between WTI, IFAW, and the Assam Forest Department, the vulture received immediate attention from the veterinary team. Medical examination revealed poisoning likely from consuming a contaminated goat carcass. The toxicity in this case stemmed from pesticides. The goat carcass was seized by the Forest Department and an investigation has been initiated. Reports indicate that villagers frequently resort to poisoning livestock carcasses to target feral dogs that prey on their livestock. Unfortunately, this practice unintentionally leads to the poisoning of vultures that feed on these carcasses.

The bird was treated by the WTI-IFAW veterinary team | Photo by Oviya

Under the dedicated care of our veterinarians, the vulture made a remarkable recovery from its critical condition. After receiving comprehensive treatment, it regained its strength and health. On being deemed fit, it was released in the Agoratoli eastern range of Kaziranga in Assam by WTI-IFAW, Sonali Ghosh, IFS, Park Director Kaziranga National Park and the Assam Forest Department.

The Vulture was released back into the wild| Photo by Oviya

Dr. Sonali Ghosh, IFS, expressed that it was heartening to see the Himalayan Griffon vulture taking its flight back to recovery. She commended the unwavering dedication of the CWRC team over the past 22 years in rescuing and rehabilitating distressed wildlife.

Dr. Bhaskar Choudhury, Division Head, Wild Rescue and Head Vet NE, WTI reported that a total of 397 vultures had been rescued by the team from 2000 to 31st March 2024, of which 244 had been released after receiving treatment. These cases involve species such as the Himalayan Griffon, slender-billed, white-rumped, and cinereous vultures.

The Himalayan Griffon vulture is categorised as ‘Near Threatened’ in the IUCN Red List. Vultures play a crucial role as scavengers, serving as the “sanitary engineers” of nature by feeding on carcasses of both wild and domestic animals. Several studies indicate that the decline of vulture populations in South Asia is largely attributed to poisoning incidents, including pesticides and certain livestock medications, which cause kidney failure in vultures, contributing significantly to mortality.