# World first: captive-bred slender-billed vultures released in Assam 2026-08-07T16:54:49+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Assam has achieved a global first by releasing captive-bred slender-billed vultures into the wild. Five slender-billed vultures and five white-rumped vultures were set free on August 7 at the Jatayu Soft Release Centre in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The birds were bred at the Bombay Natural History Society's Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre in Rani and acclimatised for three months at the release site. All 10 vultures carry colour rings and GSM-GPS satellite transmitters for tracking. Both species are critically endangered. India's Gyps vulture population has dropped 99% in 20 years, mainly due to veterinary painkillers. Although the centre banned four such drugs, pesticide poisoning from laced carcasses remains a deadly threat in Assam. Over 700 vultures have died from secondary poisoning in the state since 2018. Conservationists run awareness drives to curb the illegal use of toxic pesticides on livestock carcasses. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - assamtribune.com Tags: Assam, BNHS, endangered species, Kaziranga, pesticide poisoning, vulture conservation Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/worlds-first-captive-bred-slender-billed-vultures-released-in-assam/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/worlds-first-captive-bred-slender-billed-vultures-released-in-assam/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.