Captive breeding of vultures to start in Tripura

Concerned over the drastic decline in vulture population in Tripura, the forest department has decided to start captive breeding of the scavenger bird at the Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary near here.
"There are only 55 vultures in the state which came to light following a survey by the department. So, we have decided on captive breeding to conserve the bird," Chief Wildlife Warden, A K Gupta said.
Of the 55 vultures, 27 were sighted in Khowai district, 26 in South Tripura district and only two in Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary in Sipahijala district, the survey carried out by Gupta at 107 areas in 16 sub-divisions of the state, said.

"Vultures are an important component of the forest eco-system. They maintain the balance of the living and dead by devouring remains of dead animals," Gupta said.
Among the nine species of vultures in the country, white-rumped vultures found in Tripura were identified as critically endangered by environmentalists, Gupta said.
Gupta said the Bombay Natural History Society and Zoological Survey of India would tie up with the forest department for the project once Tripura was declared a Dichlophenic-free state.
A survey commissioned by the governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra in 2001 found that vultures died after feeding on the carcasses of animals given Diclofena in their diet.

In Tripura, though animals were not widely fed Diclofena vultures still disappeared.