Successful Reintroduction of Long-Billed Vultures in Pench Tiger Reserve

The Pench Tiger Reserve and the Bombay Natural History Society have successfully reintroduced critically endangered long-billed vultures back into the wild. The initiative began with the transportation of 10 vultures from the Jatayu Conservation & Breeding Center, and culminated in a successful release after seven months of acclimatisation.

The Pench Tiger Reserve, in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), has triumphantly reintroduced critically endangered long-billed vultures into their natural habitat, marking a significant milestone in wildlife conservation.

The reintroduction initiative commenced on January 21 with the transfer of ten long-billed vultures from the Jatayu Conservation & Breeding Center in Pinjore, Haryana, according to Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) Deputy Director Prabhu Nath Shukla.

Initially housed in a pre-release aviary at Bodalzira beat of East Pench Piparia Range, the vultures spent seven months acclimatising and interacting with local wild vultures. On August 10, these vultures were released and promptly joined wild vultures in consuming a chital carcass placed outside the aviary, showcasing the success of the reintroduction process. Each released vulture was equipped with PTT (GPS) tags for ongoing monitoring of their movements.

BNHS president Praveen Pardeshi, Director Kishore Rithe, RFOs, and forest staff attended the event. Ongoing monitoring aims to provide valuable insights into the habitat, distribution, and conservation of these majestic birds, further reinforcing their commitment to biodiversity preservation.

(With inputs from agencies.)