Karnataka's vulture breeding plan hits roadblock

Hubballi: Despite being selected to host a vulture conservation breeding centre, Karnataka is unlikely to breed or re-wild the avian scavenger in 2025, as the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has not given approval to the state’s proposal. 

State forest officials said the CZA has not informed them of the reasons for keeping their proposal in abeyance. But experts point out that earlier communication in 2022 from CZA to Karnataka had highlighted certain ‘technical issues’ that the government had to fix. 

Sources said the department had designed the centre based on the suggestion given by the CZA and allocated additional land for expansion as well.

As per the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation (APVC) in India 2020-2025, Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP), Bengaluru, was one among the five centres selected in the second phase of the vulture breeding and conservation programme to enhance the population of vultures.

The population of vultures had crashed from an estimated four crore in early 1980s to less than a lakh across India by 2007. 

As per a synchronised survey conducted in 2024, Karnataka has 390 vultures in the wild, with majority of them within the protected areas of tiger reserves and sanctuaries.

The proposed centres at Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were planned to hold, breed and reintroduce vultures in the wild. While Maharashtra has informed the centre that it would only release vultures in the wild and not breed them, Tamil Nadu has backed off the project. The other two states are receiving vultures from Haryana in a phased manner. 

Between 2020 and ‘22, the state government was supposed to identify a suitable location and construct a facility. Between 2022 and ’24, these centres were to obtain founder stocks of 15 each long-billed, Egyptian and white-backed vultures (native to Karnataka); by 2025, they were to maintain the captive population in good health.

While the Karnataka forest department identified, designed and completed the construction of the breeding centre on 10 acres of land at BBP in 2023 itself, the forest officials have failed to get approval for the project. 

“The state has been continuously following up on the proposal. Once every four-five months, we correspond with the CZA. However, we haven't received any response from them,” said Sunil Panwar, Member Secretary, Karnataka Zoo Authority. He says the CZA has not given any reason for not approving the State’s proposal.

Officials said they had been prepared to bring at least 10 vultures from the Pinjor Vulture Conservation Centre in Haryana.

“After breeding a sizable number, the department had intended to release the vultures at Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary, MM Hills and Cauvery Wildlife sanctuary. The entire process of getting founder birds, breeding them and releasing them into the wild will take six to 10 years depending upon various reasons,” said BBP Executive Director AV Surya Sen.

Kishor Rithe, Director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which is playing a leading role in conservation of vulture, said "there were certain technical issues related to Karnataka’s proposal".

"Not aware if the state has addressed those issues. Vulture conservation being one of the top most priority of the Union government, I don’t think CZA would reject a fair proposal," said Rithe.

Quote - The state has been continuously following up on the proposal. Once every four-five months we correspond with the CZA. However we haven't received any response from them - Sunil Panwar Member Secretary Karnataka Zoo Authority