Now Reading: World’s first captive-bred slender-billed vultures released in Assam
-
01
World’s first captive-bred slender-billed vultures released in Assam
Five captive-bred slender-billed vultures (Gyps tenuirostris) were released into the wild at Kaziranga National Park on August 7, 2026, a world first for the critically endangered species. The birds, along with five…
The Story in Brief
Five captive-bred slender-billed vultures (Gyps tenuirostris) were released into the wild at Kaziranga National Park on August 7, 2026, a world first for the critically endangered species. The birds, along with five captive-bred white-rumped vultures, were transported from the BNHS Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre at Rani near Guwahati and released from the Jatayu Soft Release Centre in the Biswanath Division. BNHS deputy director Sachin Ranade confirmed this is the first release of the species globally.
India's Gyps vulture population has declined by 99% over 20 years due to veterinary painkillers. While the Centre banned four such drugs, pesticide poisoning from carcasses laced with toxins, often used illegally to target stray dogs, remains a major threat. More than 700 vultures have died in Assam since 2018 from such secondary poisoning. The released birds have numbered blue leg rings and back tags to track their movements.
The Indian Opinion
The celebrations over this conservation milestone are tempered by a grim reality: over 700 vultures have died in Assam since 2018 from pesticide poisoning, often from carcasses laced with poison meant for stray dogs. The BNHS and forest officials run awareness drives, but illegal use of banned drugs and toxins persists. The real test will be whether these ten birds survive their first year outside captivity, and how swiftly the state can stop the poisoning that kills more vultures than captive breeding can produce.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
