Releasing an Action Plan for Vulture Conservation
A meeting on vulture conservation working group was convened by Arulagam, a nature conservation organization at Coimbatore on 21-10-2024. Researchers engaged in vulture conservation in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu participated. Mr. Karthiga Rajkumar, Chairperson of Arulagam, welcomed the gathering.”
S. Bharathidasan, Secretary of Arulagam, elaborated that this meeting was convened to propose an Action Plan for the Conservation of Vultures at the National, State, District, and Panchayat levels. The draft action plan circulated among the experts for their feedback. Most of the activities were obtained from the Vulture Conservation Action Plan of the Government of India and the Blueprint of the Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction (SAVE).”
At the zenith of this meeting the Draft Report on the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation was released. While, Badrasamy,C, District Forest Officer, (Rtd), Forest Department, Tamil Nadu, released it, it was received by K. Kalidasan of Osai environmental organization.
Mr. Chris Bowden, Programme Manager of SAVE, congratulated the Government of Tamil Nadu and Arulagam on their conservation work. He praised the Animal Husbandry Department for banning the use of veterinary drugs such as Ketoprofen and Flunixin. He further appealed for the banning of the drug 'Nimesulide' and suggested that the state Forest Department form a Vulture Conservation Committee and take legal action against the misuse of drugs by the Department of Drug Control."
The staff of Arulagam, messers, Sharma, Salini and Sundhari elaborated the works carried out by the Arulagam in the conservation of vultures, in coordination with Forest Department of Tamil Nadu. Mr. A. Pavendhan, President, The Nature and Butterfly Society, emphasised the long term monitoring of vultures in the landscapes.
Mr. D. Rajkumar, WCF, and Mr. C.K. Vishnudass of Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Studies, Kerala, respectively elaborated on the works carried out in Karnataka and Kerala.
The experts participating in the meeting expressed their view points on various topics pertaining to vulture conservation. Mr D. Boominathan of World Wide Fund for Nature insisted the importance of quick compensation to the cattle deprived by the carnivores. Mr. John Mallord of Senior Conservation Scientist, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), commended the attempt of Synchronised vulture survey in South India by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department; and also spoke about how to avoid the duplication in vulture count. Mr. N.S. Manoharan, (Additional Director (retd), Veterinary Services, Tamil Nadu) and Dr. Prayag, H.S. , Chief Veterinary Officer, (Mobile and extension - AH&VS), Karnataka, expressed their views on disposal of carcasses. Dr. Nambirajan of Project Scientist, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (South India Centre of Wildlife Institute of India) detailed the ‘NSAIDs impact’ on vultures.
Paintings drawn through stones by Mr Santhosh, a volunteer and tribal youth, distributed to the participants of this convention.
On behalf of this working group, an appeal was made to the Government, on the ban of the drug Nimesulide from Veterinary use. Further it was also pleaded that there is an urgent need for safety testing of new NSAIDs before they are approved for veterinary use.
Also pleased to take up the ‘ Vulture Conservation Action Plan and to Safeguard the Vulture Safe Zone.
