Ramadevara Betta fails long-billed vultures

Scavenger saga

An Egyptian vulture (Photo courtesy Shashikumar B)

Declared as the country’s first vulture sanctuary in 2012, the scenic Ramadevara Betta in Ramanagara taluk, about 50 km from Bengaluru, has almost failed the critically endangered long-billed vultures that nest and breed on the lofty cliffs of the hillock.

While the numbers of these vultures have remained the same in the past few years with hardly any success in their breeding activities, yet another endangered species — Egyptian vultures (white scavengers) — has benefited from the conservation activities.

The increased availability of silk pupae and chicken waste in the surrounding region has resulted in the salubrious population of these rare vultures around Ramadevara Betta. What was hailed as the only place for long-billed vultures to nest and breed in South India is also turning out to be a nesting paradise for Egyptian vultures, with researchers and volunteers from the Karnataka Vulture Conservation Trust (KVCT) photographing both in the same habitat.

The location, where movies like Sholay and A Passage to India were shot, had about 15 to 20 vultures almost a decade ago. According to field volunteers, the number has now come down to just six or seven.

Darshan C S, a researcher from the Department of Wildlife and Management in Kuvempu University, said, “Their breeding season (December to March) is considered largely to zero in on their count.While their number plummeted initially, in the last two to three years, it has stabilised to about six to seven with two pairs (four vultures) being the permanent residents. But these have failed to breed in the last few years.”

Sanjai Mohan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), told DH that the performance has not been encouraging. “We are considering visiting Haryana, where there is a breeding centre of vultures, to study and pick up some conservation measures that can be replicated in Karnataka. However, the department officials at Ramanagar have done enough work around the Ramadevara Betta to safeguard the habitat of these critically endangered raptors. Several anthropogenic activities, including the construction of a bypass road adjacent to the hill, movement of vehicles and increased human intervention are said to be the reasons for the disturbance in the vulture habitat.”

Shashikumar B of KVCT said that while the number of long-billed vultures is discouraging, the population of Egyptian vultures has shot up considerably. “A few years ago, there were about five to six vultures. But now we have recorded 30-35 vultures around Ramanagara.”

Sathya, yet another member of KVCT, said, “We have pictures of Egyptian vultures nesting in the same crevices that were used by long-billed vultures, suggesting the coexistence of these species in a changing landscape.”

Renowned vulture veterinarian Dr Devojit Das said, “Both the species have different feeding patterns. While long-billed vultures feed on soft tissues of the carcass of livestock, Egyptian vultures feed on normal parts of the carcass. But what is more interesting is that these vultures have adapted to the silk pupae that are abundantly available in a silk city like Ramanagara, along with chicken waste. The long-billed fly as far as Bandipur and BRT Tiger Reserves in search of food; the Egyptians source the food, thereby adding to the population.”

Into the wild

Buoyed by the success story of neighbouring Nepal, experts have identified two areas in southern and western India suitable and safe for the reintroduction of captive-bred vultures into the wild, according to Dr Das. The Moyar valley within the Nilgiri Biosphere and another place in Maharashtra have been found free of diclofenac content which had wiped out vulture populations a decade ago. He still cautions that there is rampant usage of the drug among humans and that its sale needs to be regulated.