Tamil Nadu forms panel for vulture conservation

Tags: State News

The Tamil Nadu government has set up a state-level committee for conservation vultures on 19 October, 2022.

Important facts

• The 10-member committee will be headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden.

• The members include representatives of NGOs.

• The committee's tenure is two years, and it will take steps to create safe zones for conservation, monitoring and mapping of vulture populations across the state, and existing vulture sites.

• This committee will work to eliminate the use of toxic veterinary drugs, the main cause of death of vultures.

Four species of vultures in Tamil Nadu 

• Four species of vultures are found in Tamil Nadu -

1. White-tailed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis),

2. Long-billed Vulture (Gyps indicus),

3. Asian king vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) and

4. Egyptian Vulture (Neophron perknopterus)

About Vultures

• Vultures are carcass eaters and play an important role in natural mechanisms of infection control.

• It keeps the ecosystem clean and healthy.

• There are 9 species of vultures found in India.

• Most of these 9 species are in danger of extinction.

• Bearded, long-billed, slender-billed, white-backed vultures are protected in Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

• The rest are protected under 'Schedule IV'.

• According to the IUCN Red List, out of 9 species of vultures in India, 4 species are critically endangered, 1 species is endangered, 3 are threatened and 1 is least threatened.