Valentine's Day and Vultures
Photo Credits - Thanks to Krishna Bhusal
Every year, February 14 is celebrated as Valentine’s Day. We all find something to fall in love with, as there is no life without love. Therefore, we wish everyone a happy Valentine’s Day.
Did you know there are bird species that live in pairs, forming lifelong bonds? Species like the Bald Eagle, Black Vulture, Laysan Albatross, Mute Swan, Scarlet Macaw, Whooping Crane, California Condor, and Atlantic Puffin are known for living in pairs. https://www.audubon.org/news/till-death-do-them-part-8-birds-mate-life
Similarly, in the case of vultures, mating pairs often remain together for life. What's interesting is that the male and female are identical in appearance, and only when they mate can they be distinguished from one another. From incubating the eggs to caring for the chicks, both the male and female share the responsibilities equally. They also live communally, raising their young together.
The Egyptian vulture, also known as the Thikazhukundram vulture, was once believed to be capable of laying and hatching eggs without a male companion. Although vultures figure prominently in Egyptian mythology, they were considered important in other cultures too. In Turkey and Bulgaria, the Egyptian vulture is commonly referred to as akbuba (white father). The Egyptian vulture was the sacred bird of the ancient Pharaohs. Its appearance is immortalised in Egyptian hieroglyphics as the letter ‘A’. Ancient Egyptians believed all vultures were female, spontaneously born from eggs without the intervention of a male. They thus linked these birds to purity and motherhood.
They were considered sacred to Isis the mother goddess and elevated to the rank of a deity as Nekhbet, patron of Upper Egypt and nurse of the Pharaoh. The priestesses of Nekhbet wore garments of white vulture feathers and the goddess herself was portrayed as a vulture-headed woman.
A recent study by Environmental Researcher Eyal Frank and his team highlighted the dire consequences of the vulture’s decline in South Asia between 2000 and 2005. The absence of vultures has caused an increase in carcasses left to decompose, leading to the growth of infectious bacteria and the spread of disease. In their absence, rats and dogs have taken over the role of scavengers, leading to the spread of rabies. In fact, in 2023 alone, 4.7 million people in India were infected with rabies as a result.
Instead of portraying vultures as symbols of love, many filmmakers and cartoonists choose to depict them as villains. They are shown in scenes of conflict and exploitation, often associated with greed and cruelty, particularly due to their habit of scavenging on dead animals. However, we often overlook the vital role vultures play in preventing disease by consuming dead animals. Let us take a moment to remember these birds on Valentine’s Day, especially since many of them are now on the verge of extinction. The IUCN has warned that 4 out of 9 species of vultures found in India are critically endangered. In response, the Indian government has banned harmful painkillers like diclofenac, ketoprofen, aceclofenac, and nimesulide, all of which have been proven to contribute to vulture population decline. However, banning these drugs alone is not enough. We must also ensure that they are not accessible for use in livestock farming.
To help these magnificent creatures recover, we should stop burying the carcasses of dead livestock and wildlife. Instead, we should ensure that available prey is free from poison and that animals hit by vehicles or electricity are not discarded but provided with suitable food.
Lastly, consider a song from Agananuru where the heroine expresses her longing for her hero's return. In this song, the heroine tells a friend how she is saddened that her hero, who promised to return before the rainy season, has not returned even after the season has passed.
The hero has crossed the dry desert. The robbers shoot arrows at the lives of passers-by. The bodies killed in this way, emitting a foul odour, are soon followed by their flock, who come to feast on them. What the heroine said to her friend, when the hero was away is captured in the song Agananuru (175) - Translation - "My lover promised to come back. He is travelling on the path where the cruel men shoot with arrows and the vultures invite their flocks to eat the carcasses. It is rainy season with dark clouds and the night has set in. He has not yet come, My dear friend."
A similar theme appears in Natrinai, where the robbers again shoot arrows at the passers-by. The old robbers, with wings spread wide, swoop in on their flock, tearing apart the corpses that emit a foul stench, taking the spoils back to their hungry nestlings. Dust falls from their wings as they lock it in their bows. The hero passes through such desolate lands, but he is a man of honor, committed to his word and without regret. This song, written by Maruthangizhar, is a message to his friend, the heroine’ says Natrinai (329).
From Sangam literature to the present day, there is no literature that does not celebrate love.
Let us love and let live! Let us protect Vultures.
Valentine’s Day Greetings.
