34 critically endangered white-rumped and long-billed vultures shifted from JCBC, Pinjore to Maharashtra

Coinciding with World Earth Day, 20 long-billed and 14 white-rumped vultures were handed over to the Maharashtra Forest Department at Pinjore in Haryana.

The birds are being transferred from Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre (JCBC) Pinjore to Maharashtra for reintroduction into the wild.

This is an important movement in the vulture conservation programme of India led by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

As part of India’s ongoing vulture reintroduction programme, a total of 34 captive-bred vultures, 20 long-billed and 14 white-rumped, were successfully transferred from the JCBC, Pinjore to three key sites in Maharashtra - Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR), Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

“The transfer, carried out on Tuesday marks a significant step in reviving the critically endangered vulture populations in central India. The selected vultures, aged between two and six years, were chosen following comprehensive health checks to ensure their fitness for release into the wild. To maintain ecological balance and support successful breeding in the wild, the birds were carefully distributed across all three locations, ensuring a balanced sex ratio at each site,” BNHS Director Kishor Rithe said.

Chief Wildlife Warden of Haryana Vivek Saxena, Chief Wildlife Warden of Maharashtra Srinivasa Rao and Rithe are monitoring and guiding the entire operation.

The vultures have been transported in individual wooden boxes, one bird per box to minimise stress and ensure safety during the journey. Before the transportation, the birds were last fed two days in advance as per the standard protocol.

The birds have been moved in three air-conditioned Tempo Travellers to maintain optimal temperature and ventilation throughout the transit.

The team has been led by Rundan Katkar, RFO, Kolsa, TATR, and was supported by Dr Mayank Barde, veterinarian from PTR, Manan Mahadev, senior biologist, BNHS, along with two forest guards—one each from TATR and PTR.

This carefully coordinated transfer reflects the collaborative efforts between the Forest Departments of Haryana, Maharashtra, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The BNHS has set up the four Jatayu conservation breeding centres across the country in partnership with the Government of Haryana in Pinjore, the Government of Madhya Pradesh in Bhopal, the Government of West Bengal in Rajabhatkhawa and the Government of Assam in Rani, Guwahati.

"Through this conservation breeding programme, BNHS has contributed to securing the future of vultures in India by breeding more than 700 birds in captivity since 2004 with support from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the respective State Governments and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds," said Rithe.

The Forest Department of Maharashtra has set up the three pre-release aviaries in three tiger reserves of Vidarbha region to follow the protocol of soft release. The birds are expected to reach their respective aviaries in the next two days.

Field Director Prabhunath Shukla (TATR), Kishor Mankar (PTR) and Adarsh Reddy (MTR) have ensured that the aviaries have been prepared properly to welcome the birds. Dy CFs Anand Reddy (TATR), Bharat Hada (PTR), and N Jeykumaran (MTR) have made all the necessary arrangements to safely bring the birds to Maharashtra.