Chennai, March 5: The forest departments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka will conduct a coordinated vulture census in the Nilgiri region on March 7 and 8. This initiative aims to assess the population of endangered vultures in one of South India’s most crucial habitats. During the census, teams will record vulture activities at designated times and document their flight directions and timings to avoid double counting.
The survey will focus on key forest areas within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which has emerged as a vital stronghold for vultures in southern India.
This exercise follows encouraging results from the previous census, which reported a significant increase in vulture numbers across all three states.
In a promising development, field staff at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve recently spotted a vulture nest in the reserve’s core area for the first time. Previously, most nesting activities had been recorded only in the buffer zone.
Forest officials have identified eight critical locations in Mudumalai’s core area for this year’s survey to closely monitor nesting behavior and population trends. The coordinated survey will include several key wildlife habitats in the Nilgiri region.
In Tamil Nadu, monitoring will take place in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve, and Tirunelveli Wildlife Sanctuary. In Karnataka, teams will survey Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, and Biligiri Ranganath Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve, while the focus in Kerala will be on Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
According to officials, the Nilgiri region plays an extremely important ecological role for vulture populations in South India. It not only supports breeding colonies but also provides a safe haven for migratory vultures.
India is home to nine vulture species, seven of which have been recorded in Tamil Nadu. These include local breeding species such as the white-rumped vulture, long-billed vulture, and red-headed vulture.
Other species include the Egyptian vulture, Himalayan griffon, cinereous vulture, and Eurasian griffon, typically seen as migratory visitors in the region.
This will be the fourth coordinated census in the Nilgiri region. Previous surveys, conducted over approximately 4,670 square kilometers across 106 critical sites, recorded an increase in vulture numbers from 320 to 390. Tamil Nadu reported the highest count with 157 vultures, followed by Kerala with 125 and Karnataka with 106.
The nesting count will focus on breeding cliffs and trees. The last survey documented 75 active nests, with 54 located in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve alone.
Each survey team will consist of at least four members, including a trained vulture specialist. Field teams will be equipped with binoculars, cameras, GPS devices, compasses, and standardized data sheets to ensure accurate and consistent data collection.
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