Vulture Conservation Farm, Gadad, Dangs, Gujarat

A vulture conservation farm has been set up near village Gadad by the North Dangs Forest Division. Village Gadad is located around 30 km from Ahwa on Ahwa-Chinchli road. The hilly forest region surrounding Gadad has an altitude ranging from 2000 to 3500 feet and is a favorite spot for the Indian Vulture, also known as Long-billed Vulture (Gyps indicus). A good number of Long-billed Vultures are found in this region as the nests are built on the mountains slopes, they are beyond the reach of humans and hence not destroyed directly by them.

Characteristics of Indian Vulture

Vulture Conservation Centre, Gadad, Dangs

The Long-billed Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald head, very broad wings and short tail feathers. The species reach breeding age at about 5 years old and breeds mainly on cliffs. Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over the region around human habitation.

Indian Vulture at Gadad Farm, Dangs

A Survey conducted by the Bombay Natural History Society in 2007 revealed that vulture population in India has declined by 97 percent in last few years. Of the nine species of vultures found in India, the white-backed, the long-billed and the slender-billed vultures are recognized as Critically Endangered species by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Moreover, they are listed as Schedule I species in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which is applicable to the tiger and one-horned rhino also.

The main cause of decline has been identified as poisoning caused by the veterinary drug diclofenac. Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and when given to working animals it can reduce joint pain and keep them working for longer. The drug is believed to be swallowed by the vultures with flash of dead cattle which were given diclofenac in their last days. The drug reportedly causes dehydration of the vultures and they die due to visceral gout and kidney failure.