Tamil Nadu sets state level committee for vulture conservation

Chennai: Tamil Nadu government has set up a state level committee to work on an “Action Plan” for vulture conservation in the state.

The was informed by the state Addl Chief Secretary Environment Climate Change & Forests, Govt of Tamil Nadu Suprita Shau in a tweet.

The 10-member committee is headed by the principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden. The members include representatives of NGOs.

The committee will look at a ban on drugs toxic to vultures, breeding centres,and vulture census.

Nine species of vultures are found in India out of which four viz. White backed vulture,long billed vulture,Red headed vulture& Egyptian vulture are found in Tamil Nadu. Sigur plateau in Mudumalai is one of the last remaining regions where vultures are found.

“Vultures play an extremely important role as nature’s scavengers and provide several eco-system services. The Tamil Nadu Annual Plan for Vulture Conservation will potentially help critically endangered vultures” she said.

This committee will implement an action plan for vulture conservation that will include scientific management of carcass dumps and carrying out sample analysis of cattle carcass, regulation for ban of drugs found toxic to vultures, setting up of vulture conservation breeding centres, monitoring of vulture population, carrying out nationwide vulture census, creating awareness on vulture conservation and regular monitoring of vulture population across the state.

Vultures play an important role as nature’s scavengers thereby keeping the environment clean. The population of vultures has come down over a period of time and now are critically endangered.