In News:

• Vultures, once abundant across India, have faced catastrophic population declines over the past three decades due to carcass poisoning, harmful veterinary drugs (notably diclofenac), and negative social perceptions.
• Recognizing the urgency of conservation, an Assam-based foundation has launched India’s first dedicated vulture conservation portal to create a knowledge-sharing and awareness-driven network for their protection.

The Vulture Network Portal

• Nature: A cloud-based, first-of-its-kind portal in India dedicated to vulture conservation.
• Developer: We Foundation India, in collaboration with partners like the Assam Bird Monitoring Network and other organizations.
• Functions:
  • Compiles scientific information on vultures.
  • Provides freely downloadable outreach materials for awareness campaigns.
  • Disseminates conservation material in local languages (beginning with Assamese) to ensure community participation.
  • Focuses on addressing key threats to vultures, including:
    • Carcass poisoning.
    • Harmful veterinary drugs such as diclofenac.
    • Myths and negative social perceptions around scavenger birds.

Significance

• Community Engagement: Builds a network of individuals and organizations working for vulture conservation.
• Policy & Awareness: Offers a centralized platform to support awareness drives, education, and grassroots campaigns.
• Localized Impact: By promoting information in regional languages, it enhances outreach among rural communities, where interaction with vultures is most direct.

Vultures of India

India hosts several species of vultures, many of which are critically endangered:

• Slender-billed vulture – ~800 mature individuals left.
• White-rumped vulture.
• Red-headed vulture.
• Himalayan griffon.
• Indian vulture.
• Cinereous vulture.
• Eurasian griffon.
• Egyptian vulture.
• Bearded vulture.

Conservation Context

• India has already banned the veterinary use of diclofenac (a major cause of vulture deaths) and promoted safer alternatives like meloxicam.
• Initiatives such as Vulture Safe Zones, breeding centres, and now this digital portal strengthen the country’s commitment to vulture conservation.
• As vultures play a critical ecological role as scavengers, their survival is linked to disease control and overall ecosystem health.