Workshop in Wayanad stresses the need to phase out vulture-toxic anti-inflammatory drugs

A State-level workshop on vulture conservation has stressed the need for interstate efforts to conserve the bird species in southern India.

The one-day programme, which concluded at Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad on Monday, was organised by the Forest Department for its personnel, scientists, conservation NGOs, veterinary professionals, and farmers.

Inaugurating the programme, K. Karthikeyan, Chief Conservator of Forest, Northern Circle, explained the significance of conserving the scavenger bird population.

Mr. Karthikeyan said the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, including the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), was the only landscape in southern India that harboured one of the last remaining globally threatened species of vultures in the country.

Need of the hour

Hence, the conservation of the vulture species in the region was the need of the hour, he said.

The workshop stressed the need to phase out vulture-toxic anti-inflammatory drugs such as aceclofenac, carprofen, flunixin, ketoprofen, nimesulide, and phenylbutazone from areas close to vulture habitats.

Survey planned

It decided to organise a synchronised survey of vultures in southern India from March 15 to 17 to estimate the bird population in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.

It also decided to organise an interstate meeting of officials and conservationists of southern India every year and annual workshops and awareness programmes for veterinary experts, professionals, and public residing around the sanctuary.

The programme was attended by senior forest officials from Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu and representatives of vulture conservation organisations.

The representatives presented the status of vulture population in each State, their nesting success, and the threats faced by them. A comprehensive action plan for reviving the vulture population was drafted at the workshop.

B.N. Anjan Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife, Palakkad), delivered the keynote address.

C.K. Vishnudas, conservation biologist and Director of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology, handled a key technical session on the status of vulture conservation in India and the Wayanad sanctuary in particular. Nameer of the College of Forestry presented a study on the nest site characteristics of vultures.

A. Bharathidasan of Arulagam and M. Rajkumar from the Wildlife Trust spoke.

N.T. Sajan, warden, WWS, welcomed the audience.