NGO records 40 per cent increase in vulture population near Murud

Vishwas (Bhau) Katdhare,who leads the group,said,after noticing severe food scarcity and a phenomenon called false incubation in the species,they decided to set up feeding areas for the vultures in the Anjarla colony. False incubation was an occurrence where several pairs of adult vultures were seen carrying out ‘incubation’ activities in their nests,for over two months. However,on closer inspection,it was discovered that there were no eggs in the nest. This was confirmed with the use of CCTV cameras,Katdhare said.

“While we are still studying this peculiar mock incubation activity,we learnt that the problem arises out of shortage of food. The vultures didn’t have ample fuel in their bodies to lay eggs. But biologically and instinctively,they were going through the incubation process,” he said.

The group then began to make food available for the birds. “We prepared a 2000 sq ft fenced feeding ground using chain-links where vultures could feed and there would be no disturbance from dogs either. We appointed a person to lift animal carcasses from villages and dump them in the fenced area near the breeding ground.” According to Katdhare,the message was spread through systemic distributing of handbills in all the nearby villages announcing that a person will pick up any dead animal from the houses. “Slowly but steadily,this system worked out. In the last breeding season,as many as 40 dead animals were made available to vultures,” he said.

Today,Katdhare is hopeful that with incessant work,the vulture population in the state can be restored soon. “We think these are good results and they strengthen our belief that Diclofinac may not be the only reason for the dwindling population of vultures,” he said. The group is now planning to replicate this project at two other sites — in Malwan (Sindhudurg) and Razapur (Ratnagiri)— by next October,which marks the beginning of the breeding season. “The only problem is securing funds from the government. We were planning to set up the centres by this year,but that was postponed,” he said.