In the last twenty years three species of Indian vulture have gone from being one of the most prolifically abundant raptors to top of the IUCN Critically Endangered list. The reason behind the current Indian Vulture disaster that befell those graceful giants of the sky is the same as for the cause of the declines in so many other species; humans. But is there something that stands out about the Indian Sub-continent vulture crisis from other animal wipe-outs, past and present, and is there a last hope for the vultures?

It is difficult for someone from a country where vultures have never been present to grasp the breath-taking rapidity and scale of this wipe-out. India in the mid 1980’s had an estimated 40 million of just Indian white-backed vultures (Gyps bengalensis). These birds were a part of the urban and country scenery as crow or seagulls in the UK. And then they were gone. Vanished. The figure for White-backed vultures is over 99.9% of the population killed, and the rest going the same way.

Nowadays the factors influencing the destruction of the world’s species are usually at the same time well-known and complex issues. In all too many cases the people and companies causing the destruction of wildlife are entirely conscious of what they are doing; the poachers who takes the last tiger out from a tiger reserve, the company which takes toxic waste out to sea and dumps it because the fine is tiny fraction of the cost of dealing with it responsibly. In these cases the catalysts stem from huge issues like global poverty and corporate greed.

Extinction of vultures in India was not something that anybody planned or wanted.

Diclofenac’s impact on vultures was totally unexpected. Perhaps the vulture disaster falls into the category of unforeseen, unintentional accidental exterminations of wildlife, except that in this case humans are already suffering the damage along with the vultures. Some figures for the costs both in terms of human health and economic costs to the Indian government are both astronomical and plausible.

Diclofenac was the silent invisible assassin of the vulture, a pain-killer for livestock introduced at the end of the 1980s. By the time is was discovered to be the cause of the vulture kill-off and the prompt and well adhered to ban for veterinary use implemented it was already too late for most the vultures.

With it completely gone from livestock there would hypothetically be no real obstacles in their way given enough time; the food availability is still there and many vultures will happily nest in villages so long as there are suitable trees.

However with veterinary Diclofenac banned, now human-use Diclofenac (which is the same product with the same effects on vultures) has been subverted to the livestock market. In almost every village in India there will be a small, non-descript drugstore and in perhaps a large percentage of these shops local dairy farmers, probably completely unaware of the ban or consequences will be buying Diclofenac for their cattle.

When talking to people they relate how they used to see so many vultures. They used to be a part of the scenery. Vultures were one of those few species who people thought could never go away, and had even adapted to benefit from humans and flourish around them. Meanwhile they were performing an invaluable cleaning service to us, in the least intrusive way possible. The biggest intrusion a vulture can ever have to a human is to poo on him, and this requires co-operation by the person to stand underneath the vulture and wait.

The vulture has shown itself to be an adaptable, useful and likeable creature to humans, and the case for preserving them at least in small numbers comes down to one main problem; removing human-use Diclofenac from the veterinary market. This at least presents a clear cut and definable target, and is helped by the facts that nobody makes fortunes selling it under-the-counter, or buys it to deliberately poison vultures, and lastly that there is clearly a large economic incentive for the return of vultures. With all the good work that went into banning and removing Diclofenac from the market and replacing it with an affordable alternative, Meloxicam, it would surely be tragic to let the last few wild vultures slip away now. The human population explosion that is currently taking more and more available habitat and the chemical toxins we are contaminated the earth, water, air, and biosphere become more numerous and complex in their affects the more species will struggle to survive. If a species as abundant and tolerant of humans as gyps vultures can be so devastated in a such a short time then we must consider this a warning shot to be heeded.

In a major boost for environmentalists, vultures were sighted in Uttarakhand after the recent discovery of the near-extinct birds in Himachal Pradesh.

Over 150 vultures of five species can be found nesting and feeding at three locations around Ramnagar in Uttarakhand — Van Gujjar village of Tumeria, Ringora and Hatidagar. The three sites fall under two categories:

Regular nesting sites (Ringora and Tumeria): Vultures are consistently seen roosting and occupying nests throughout the year and these are likely to be important breeding sites;

Regular feeding sites (Hatidagar): Cattle carcasses are regularly left here and vultures feed on them.

Ringora is an “encroached” village with around 25 families on either side of NH-121, about thee km north of Ramnagar in Nainital district. Earlier, Ringora residents used to keep a large number of cattle. However, at a time when the natural scavengers suffer a population catastrophe triggered by medicines; at Ringora, Indian white-backed vultures are seen roosting virtually every day on four trees, all of which are large kadam (Adina Cordifolia) trees. In a monitoring research undertaken recently by a Corbett-based vulture conservation NGO, 235 white-backed vultures were recorded in 60 observations spread over a month. Vultures in groups of 15 or more are often sighted here.

Significantly, the slender-billed vulture (SBVs), which is even more threatened than the tiger in India, has also been roosting occasionally at Ringora. A captive breeding scheme in India, run by a coalition of conservation groups, including the Royal Society for Protection of Birds and the Zoological Society of London, has seen successful hatching and fledging of two slender-billed vultures for the first time this year. Given that there are just 1,000 slender-billed vultures left in the wild, even the five resident SBVs recorded by researchers is good news for conservationists. Besides, Cinereous or black vulture and red-headed vulture have also been spotted at Ringora.

The second colony borders Tumeria dam, 22.5 km south-west of Ramnagar in Udham Singh Nagar. It is a village of Van Gujjars with about 15 families. Their general attitude is quite pro-vulture and, interestingly, the village also has an old Government poster dating at least 10 years with information on Rajasthani vultures. Well-known for their large holdings of buffaloes, these Gujjars have herds of hundreds grazing in and around the reservoir.

The village is surrounded on three sides by degraded sal forest (Shorea Robusta) and on these trees can be seen large numbers of white-backed vultures and their nests. The villagers say the vultures have been constantly roosting in the village for a couple of years now.

According to Tumeria residents, around 40 vultures can be seen roosting after 4 pm just about every day. Corroborating it, Sumantha Ghosh of Corbett Tiger Reserve in interactions with The Pioneer recounted having observed 49 vultures on August 24 and 39 vultures on August 2 this year.

The vultures found at Tumeria roost in the upper canopy of the sal trees in the village and appear to nest within the approximate boundaries of the village. Forest officials attributed the presence of the very large number of vultures in the area to frequent presence of carcasses nearby.

The third location is a regular feeding site of the white-backed, Egyptian and slender-billed vultures. Hatidagar is a scattered village 9.2 km south-west of Ramnagar in Nainital. The place where these vultures are being sighted is not situated within the village, but is close to a gurdwara by the side of a drying riverbed, where cattle carcasses are regularly left. On July 23, 17 SBVs and 12 WBVs were recorded (the majority observed feeding on the remains of a carcass) and on August 24, 17 WBVs were present at this site.

Information from local naturalists indicates that the vultures have been frequenting this place regularly in the last couple of years. Both slender-billed and white-backed species appear to use the Bombax Ceiba trees, popularly known as cotton trees, as temporary roosting spots while there is food available at the site. With their breeding season at its peak starting October, dedicated monitoring and preservation of these vulture colonies must be taken up on priority; for their extinction is likely in the next 10 years. We do not have any time to waste.

You can find this article by clicking on the following link:

http://www.dailypioneer.com/206903/Hope-takes-wings-as-vulture-colonies-thrive-in-Uttarakhand.html

Rishad is currently the director of Godrej Group of Companies. To now more about what is happening in Ornithology in India please log on to www.indianbirds.in.

Krishnendu recently got the highest award in conservation filmmaking in India- the CMS-UNEP Prithvi Ratna Award, in Oct 2009. The citation said “for his sustained and concerted efforts towards enhancing people’s understanding and spreading awareness on diverse environmental issues through films and documentaries ”

Krishnendu makes wildlife and conservation films that highlight the problem no matter how non glossy they might be something we are not used to see. After acquiring a Masters degree in Economics from Delhi School of Economics (1985), he went independent, making documentaries on conservation development politics.

Harvesting Hunger – a film on the politics of food in India won the Special Jury Award at Okomedia Environment Film Festival in Freiberg, Germany in 2000 and awarded at the EarthVision Environment Film Festival in Tokyo 2001. Jardhar Diary – a film on community conservation in a village in Garhwal Himalayas was awarded by Earthvision Environmental Film Festival, Tokyo 2003. His last film is on the tiger crisis- Tiger- The Death Chronicles got the Wildlife Conservation Award at the 4^th Vatavaran Film Festival 2007 and Conservation Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival at Missoula, Montana in 2008.

Along with producing films, he conducts workshops in schools and colleges on Environment using his films as a medium. He has designed and executed exchange programmes between rural communities of India around films made about them. Krishnendu has done pilot project funded by Ministry of Environment of Germany– looking at efficacy of raising awareness for conservation through films among young people. Krishnendu is also a guest faculty at a Media College in Delhi. Krishnendu was selected by Rockefeller Foundation, USA for their international training programme on Environment and Development (LEAD – Leadership in Environment and Development) for the year ‘94-’97. During this fellowship, Krishnendu read position papers on India’s environment in Costa Rica ,Thailand and Zimbabwe respectively. In 2004, Krishnendu was invited as a community film expert by LEAD, to participate in a weeklong workshop with youth in Togo, West Africa, training them in participatory communication. Krishnendu was invited to attended and screen his films, at the First Congress on Communication for Development in Rome, Oct 2006.

Since 1996 Krishnendu, has also involved in International Television production. He has produced shows for Sony- AXN’s- Amazing Race Asia. He has also co-produced an award winning documentary on pesticide deaths with Honrung Television, Hamburg – Cycle of Poison. He has been line producer of television programmes produced by Paramount Television, Hollywood for their wildlife Series Wild Things, CBS Network for their 7 time Emmy Awarded Series Amazing Race, and a science series- Daily Planet for Discovery Channel, Canada among many other shows.

He then moved to Delhi and was introduced to a whole new world here. The diversity in the forests in India just struck him. When he first went to Vanghat near Corbett, he was captured by the beauty of the landscape. The winding rivers, the beautiful sunsets, the alarm calls… it was as if life was meant to be that way.

Man-animal conflict : herd of elephant walking in villagers' fields

His regular visits to Corbett National Park and Uttarakhand has further stoked his passion for conservation. Carbon credits has captured his interest since then as an economic incentive for large scale conservation. He has been involved with carbon auditing pilot projects in Warangal, A.P and generating sustainable revenue from the resulting carbon credits. He is looking to extend this to Corbett as well, primary through large scale adoption of solar power and other eco-friendly means. He is confident that this model of conservation will prove beneficial for both man and animal and to the earth as a whole.

The following poem summarizes his feelings for the jungles:

There is pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society where none intrudes,

By the gushing river and the music on its roar;

I love not man the less, but Nature the more

adaptation of a poem by Lord Byron

“I hope my future generations will get to experience what I have, if not more. These jungles just deserve to stay!”

Koustubh had a keen interest in wildlife since school days and the city of Bhopal, where he grew, provided ample opportunities to nurture his interests in bird watching and wildlife. Academically inclined towards mathematical sciences, he did his Masters in Physics from the University of Bhopal. It was during this period that he also conducted a small study on the avian fauna of Bhopal, and developed his first stand-alone software to help identify birds. This led to his association with BNHS where he later joined as a Research Analyst. Koustubh carried out extensive field research for four years in Panna National Park on Ecology, Distribution and Behaviour of the rare Four-horned antelope and obtained his PhD from the Mumbai University.

To know more about Koustubh’s conservation work please log on to www.snowleopard.org or www.ncf-india.org.

Wildlife photographers, film-makers, this naturalists couple  have adopted Corbett Tiger Reserve as their main area of work since 2004. During this period, they have worked with the park authorities to promote healthy tourism in Corbett National Park through the medium of short films and their photographs. Their film – Wild Saga of Corbett – is the most comprehensive travelogue on Corbett and showcases how tourists can come better prepared for their visits to Corbett and thus help in conservation efforts of the people of Ramnagar and the forest department. The film – marketed and distributed by the Bombay Natural History Society along with the nature shops in and around Corbett Tiger Reserve – has been receiving an excellent response from tourists. 

Hanuman and Ram

Ram Leelas are one of the most celebrated festivals in the Hindu religion. The format is for every town and village to hold their own Ram Leelas re-enacting the Ramayana – the story of Rama – over 10 consecutive days, telling each “chapter” of the story on the different days.

The general overview of the Ramayana is that after Rama, Lakshman and Sita are exiled into the forest Sita is kidnapped by the king of Lanka, Ravana. With the help of the monkey army led by Hanuman and also some vultures who have seen Ravana taking Sita, Rama and Lakshman begin their epic voyage to rescue Sita and for Rama to gain his rightful place as the king of Kosala.

The Ramayana is a very animalistic story – there are various animals that are important to not only the Indian culture and Hindu religion but also crucial to the survival of the Indian wildlife and nature. For example there is the vulture that, after being mortally wounded trying to rescue Sita from Ravana, the king of Lanka, which informs Rama and Lakshman that Sita has been kidnapped. Also Rama is cursed after Rama’s father kills a Sarus Crane (the tallest flying bird) at the beginning of the story – and it is due to this curse that eventually Rama’s step-mother gets Rama exiled for fourteen years and gives the story reason to happen. There is also the golden deer that Sita wants Rama to kill which then leads to Lakshman leaving Sita by their hut and eventually being enticed out of the magic circle and getting kidnapped by the demon-king of Lanka.

Vanishing Vultures being Screened

Even in the small villages the Ram Leelas are made to be as impressive as possible. There are hundreds of people attending in the small villages and even more in the bigger towns; each Ram Leela is full of singing, dancing, music and general festivities.  Throughout the evening there are pauses in proceedings in between acts. These are primarily for changing the costumes, the background and also giving the people a little rest to get some food etc. Normally these intervals last between 20-30mins. It is these intervals that give Mahseer Conservancy the perfect opportunity to raise awareness to the local people and farmers about the critical decline of the vulture population throughout the whole of India.

The Ram Leelas are also used to raise awareness by Mahseer Conservancy as there are hundreds of people all in one place looking at the stage – where, of course, there was, during the intervals, a projector screen placed in full view. The plan was for the “V-team” to go to the Ram Leelas and during the intervals to put on a short film promoting awareness as to why the vultures are dying out at such an alarming rate and also showing how they, the people, could prevent the extinction of a creature that is vital to the eco-system.

Sanjay appeals for vultures

After the film was shown there was a short speech made to emphasize the most important parts of the feature and also awareness leaflets were handed out en-masse to as many people as possible in the audience.

Distributing Pamphelets

Although it’s impossible to measure the success of the campaign using numbers and figures it is possible to show how much people cared about it; the Ramayana and therefore Ram Leelas are big Hindu festivals and no-one objected to the film depicting dead cows and even the skinning of the cow carcasses which is quite amazing as it showed that even the more religious Hindus were prepared to look at pictures of to them, sacred, cows dead and dying in the name of vulture conservation. Not to mention the amount of press coverage that the campaign got – making it on to both local and nation television, and also getting into the newspapers.

Simple Message for an Important Issue

Audience watching Vulture awareness programme

Hopefully, and with the help of this type of awareness rising, in the near future we will be able to see vultures circling in the sky once again.

In this time of rising Man-animal conflict it is hard to see a way that these magnificent creatures will find a way to survive, it is surely only with local support and their respect of the wildlife that my grand children may visit here and experience what I have been privileged enough to.

Snakes have always held that ‘Fear” factor in man, just the mere mention of the word “Snake” can drive masses into panic, in India in particular there reputation as man Killers holds some truth to it with many thousands of people a year losing their lives to snake bites. It is therefore, understandable if the villagers here would first look to kill snakes out of self preservation.

However, yesterday when a snake entered a lady’s room and decided to rest there, no ones first thought was to kill the snake instead they reached for the phone in search of help to remove this snake so that it could carry on with its life in the jungle.  The snake in question was no ordinary snake either it was the King of Kings the King Cobra.  A snake so large and with such a fearsome reputation it would have been no surprise if the immediate reaction was to kill it out of self preservation.  Instead their reaction of reaching out for help to preserve this magnificent and rare snake is the first sign of conservation and a huge encouragement that the wildlife in this area will be saved.

Sanjay Chhimwal a renowned naturalist of the area stepped forward to rescue the King and although there was a lot of excitement and fear amongst the by standers, typified by many of them scurrying for safety atop the nearby roof, to look into their eyes was where the real hope lay, there was no malice no intention to kill this lost soul, only a fascination and awe of this hugely impressive King and all bar none gave it the respect it so richly deserves.

For me the most pleasing aspect of this whole episode was to see the amount of people who I had originally involved in the snake conservation project that I started last year.  Many of them like Hem Bahuguna, Khalidatt Kargetti, came from Ramnagar to lend their support, Sumantha Ghosh dropped everything to rush over and lend a hand, and looking around at the faces of people I now call friends it was easy to see that any of them if wouldn’t have hesitated in rescuing the snake.

When it finally freed from its confines to the nearby river the joyous hand and back slapping typified everyone’s wish to see the King back in the Wild where he belongs.

I can only hope that this sort of reaction will be long lasting and will lead to conservation of all species in the area because India without the Majestic and Mystifying Creatures that roam it is just another country and India so much more than that.