GPS-tagged vulture's 4,000-km journey ends in electrocution in Tamil Nadu

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In an unfortunate incident, a GPS-tagged vulture, which had embarked on an extraordinary 4,000-kilometre journey from the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, tragically died of electrocution near Thirumayam Range in Tamil Nadu's Pudukottai Division. The white-rumped vulture, tagged as N11, was part of India's ambitious Jatayu Conservation Project, an initiative aimed at reviving critically endangered vulture populations.

The vulture's journey began in August when it was satellite-tagged at Tadoba to monitor its movements. The bird's remarkable route took it through Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and ultimately Tamil Nadu. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Director, Kishor Rithe, explained to Mid-Day, "Sub-adult birds are very inquisitive and curious, often exploring more. This vulture's extensive travels are not uncommon, as young birds take time to learn where to stop for feeding during long flights."

During its travels, the vulture faced challenges, being captured and treated twice after appearing weak in Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. However, it recovered and successfully continued its journey to Tamil Nadu. Tragically, its exploration ended when it came into contact with an electric wire in Tamil Nadu's Pudukottai district.

This incident highlights the dangers faced by vultures in the wild, even as conservationists strive to rebuild their dwindling populations. India's vulture population saw a catastrophic decline between 1990 and 2006, primarily due to the use of the veterinary drug Diclofenac, which proved fatal to scavengers feeding on contaminated cattle carcasses. The drug's ban in 2006 paved the way for conservation initiatives under the Union Ministry of Environment's Vulture Action Plan.

As part of these efforts, the Forest Department of Maharashtra, in collaboration with BNHS, released 10 long-billed vultures and 10 white-rumped vultures into pre-release aviaries in Tadoba and Pench reserves earlier this year. The birds, bred at the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre in Pinjore, Haryana, represented hope for the species' recovery.