Thirty years ago I had a fine view of this bird (Gypaetus barbatus) in Mussoorie. I was looking at the antics of a raven through my binoculars when I heard a strange sound behind me. Turning round, I saw a large bone rolling down the stony surface. Soon a bearded vulture flew down to inspect and deal with the bone it had carried up to a height to let it crash down to break it into manageable pieces. This species of vulture is particularly fond of the marrow in the bones of animals as indeed we all are and is well equipped to scoop out this delicacy with its spatulate tongue.
The bearded vulture is an impressive looking creature, the only bird with a real beard which is quite prominent against its pale face. But inspite of its fierce looks it is not a hunter, and bones of dead animals form a major portion of its diet. Because of this, its table manners are better than those of other vultures. It is in no hurry to push its way into the feasting crowd. It bides its time and when the carcass has been picked clean it walks up sedately to partake of the skeleton.
Altogether it is a remarkable bird for as the raptor expert Rishad Naoroji points out it is a vulture with qualities of an eagle. It can, with a few wing-beats rise into the air without having to run for a while to gain momentum before becoming airborne as other vultures have to do. The same species is found in Europe and Africa with only minor differences in their life styles.
In March 07, a historic event took place in Switzerland, as we learn from the editorial by Aamir Ali in his ‘Friends Newsletter’ of December last year. Bearded vultures had disappeared from this country for 120 years. 85 were killed in the Alps between 1800 and 1887 when the last nesting was recorded. In 1986, the WWF, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and others decided on a captive breeding programme. A network of breeding stations was established and all the aviaries and zoos of Europe joined hands. Between 1978 and 1995, there were 191 offspring and mortality was about 24 per cent. Of the 68 birds that had been released until 1996, three had to be recaptured as they were unable to cope, two disappeared in avalanches, two collided with high tension wires and killed, and two died in caves where they were released.
As can be imagined the site where the birds are to be released has to be very carefully chosen in a cave or cavity far from habitation and rich in wild life. Two or three young birds - so they won’t get lonely all of a sudden - are carried up in special crates strapped on the backs of volunteer ornithologists who also have to be good mountaineers. To accustom them to the wild the young birds have to be taken to their new homes before they can fly. This is in May - June about 85-100 days after they have hatched. Their new homes are properly prepared and they are fed by volunteers for two to three months until they are in a position to find their own food. The first flight takes place when they are about 118 days old. Initially they remain in much the same area but later when more confident they establish their own territories. It is hoped that the birds released in the wild will be able to re-establish a viable population.
Captive breeding is a controversial strategy; many species breed easily in captivity but in the wild, without the assistance of their human captors is a different game altogether. So, to capture the few survivors of an endangered species for ensuring their future by artificial means is a double-edged sword. In an earlier column, I had referred to my visit to a farm in Canada where Peregrine Falcons were being bred for release in the wild. It was just a tumble down shed where the stone wall acted as a substitute for the rock cliffs in wild areas where these birds normally nested.
Peregrines, which excite fanaticism amongst their admirers, not so long ago, had almost disappeared from our world, but are now commonly seen in their former domains. Both captive breeding and restricted use of synthetic chemicals have played their part in the revival of this impressive raptor.
Perhaps the most exciting captive breeding programme now underway relates to North America’s largest bird, the California Condor. “The project started with the last 27 Condors and has produced well over 200 chicks to date. After the release of 242 birds, there have been 24 breeding attempts in the wild. Only seven of these have resulted in successful fledgling.” The reason for this poor results could never have been comprehended but for the investigations by a scientific team of researchers. Like the bearded vulture, Condors are very fond of the bones of dead animals.
Indeed it seems that bones in their diet are not just a luxury, but a necessity. However, with changes in the way we organise our dairy and agricultural operations, carcasses of cattle and sheep are no longer easily available in the wild. As a substitute for bones, Condors have been feeding their chicks on plastic, wood and steel items, with understandably unfortunate results. To make the captive birds (the prospective parents) avoid using these ersatz ingredients, the research team has devised an ingenious system of ‘shocking’ birds if they access the wrong food. This seems to be having the desired results.
Why wait until the 12 hour? So the IUCN has now listed species in critically endangered and vulnerable categories in the hope that this red alert will induce the authorities to protect their habitats. That is all that is required. There is great excitement in Cuba where one of the rarest birds in the world, the Ivory billed woodpecker was rediscovered after many decades.
What a disappointment for our world that the tiger, one of the most admired animals which breeds so easily in captivity, cannot be released in the wild to be a part of the natural world. When we realised the stark reality that every single tiger had been killed by poachers in the Sariska National Park, I asked George Schaller whether it would be possible to establish a breeding centre in the Park from where young tigers could be released. He said that this was not possible. Apparently tiger cubs are trained to hunt by their mothers for a full two years before they can fend for themselves. Human ingenuity, in this case, is of no avail.
