PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Ramnagar
Considering the decline in the vulture population in Ramnagar and surrounding areas, the Corbett Tiger Reserve administration has claimed to have initiated large-scale measures for their conservation. Corbett director Saket Badola said that satellite tagging is being carried out to understand the behaviour, habitat and movement patterns of vultures and other raptors. In the first phase, a total of six raptors were satellite-tagged across Uttarakhand—three in Corbett Tiger Reserve and three in Rajaji National Park.
In the second phase of the project, 12 vultures will be fitted with satellite tags. The study aims to identify the areas where vultures spend most of their time, their nesting sites and the distances they travel on a daily or seasonal basis.
According to the Corbett administration, the data obtained from this survey will be discussed in detail with experts, following which a concrete conservation strategy for vultures will be formulated. This initiative is expected not only to help increase the vulture population but also to strengthen the entire wildlife ecosystem.
Vultures are known as nature’s scavengers and their decline increases the risk of the spread of diseases. In this context, the Corbett administration’s initiative is being seen as a significant step towards vulture conservation. Wildlife photographer Deep Rajwar said that vultures are known as the cleaners of forests. Since 2013, their population has declined sharply. He recalled that in 2013, a large number of white-rumped vultures could be seen near Ringora village in Ramnagar, but today they are almost on the verge of disappearing.
