Indian Vultures | UPSC | IUCN Status | Species In news For UPSC Prleims

Indian Vultures | UPSC | Why In The News ?

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has approved an Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025

About Vultures In India :

Vultures are sociable creatures and are often seen as a collective unit.
Out of 23 species of vultures in the world, nine are found in India.
The preferred habitats of the Vulture are deserts, savannas and grassland near a water source.
They soar in circles high above the Earth’s surface. They use the rising air currents to maintain their elevation.
It also inhabits open mountain ranges up to 3,000 metres above sea level.
Vultures are widely distributed across The World.
They are absent from Australia and most oceanic islands.
They soar in circles high above the Earth’s surface.
They use the rising air currents to maintain their elevation.
Bald head and sometimes bald throat (help in regulating their body temperature)

IUCN Status

CITES

Wildlife Protection Act

The National Board for Wildlife(NBWL) has approved an Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025. Key highlights of the plan include,

Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will get a vulture conservation and breeding centre.
Establishment of at least one vulture-safe zone in each state for the conservation of the remnant populations in that state.
A system to automatically remove a drug from veterinary use if it is found to be toxic to vultures with the help of the Drugs Controller General of India.
Coordinated nation-wide vulture counting involving forest departments, the Bombay Natural History Society, research institutes, nonprofits and members of the public. This would be for getting a more accurate estimate of the size of vulture populations in the country.
A database on emerging threats to vulture conservation including collision and electrocution, unintentional poisoning.