NATURE CLUB SURAT
Environment Education & Research centre
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Environment Education & Research centre
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Nature Education Camp - Dangs 2010 Himalayan Experience camp Manali 2011 Opportunities @ Nature Club Surat Call of Indian Birds Vol-1,2,3 & 4 Video Guide to Birds of India Vol- 1 & 2 |
VULTURE CONSERVATION PROJECT
The purpose of the project was multi-fold:
Food for the vultures
At the turn of this century, vulture populations showed dramatic decline. The reason for the decline was found to be use of Diclofenac, a veterinary medicine used to treat cattle. In India, dead cattle constitute the primary diet of Vulture. The carcasses are disposed in a location far off from the village and the vultures act as the scavengers. The entry of Diclofenac in to the food chain, caused renal failures in Vultures, which caused a rapid decline in population. In order to mitigate this decline, Nature club Surat, with the help of donors undertook the project of providing Diclofenac free food to the vultures resident near Surat. Towards, this, the organization had to arrange for a means to transport a Diclofenac free carcass to a feeding site. The selected site is located 25 kms from Surat. This required funds and to feed vultures on a daily basis required full time staff to handle the program. As no vehicles were available on rent for transporting the carcass, the club had to arrange for a trailer to move the carcass to the feeding site. The activity incurred costs, but was successful in keeping the vulture population around Surat stable, in midst of rapidly declining populations elsewhere. The carcass is collected from cattle owners or farms, once we have thoroughly ascertained that the animal was not treated with Diclofenac. In order to ensure that this is the case, the club has conducted awareness programs at all the major cattle farms, around Surat. The cattle owners report death of any cattle at their farm and the club arranges to move the carcass to the feeding site. By having numerous farms on its contact list, the club ensures that the carcasses are available on a daily basis. The carcass is typically collected at dawn and moved to the feeding site at around 11:00 am. The vultures have now become familiar with the feeding site and arrive early to the site, expecting the feed. Once the carcass is unloaded and the vehicle moves away, the vultures start approaching the carcass. The feeding exercise is thus accomplished. On an average, 60 vultures are observed at the feeding site. The program is now being extended to other sites as well. We recently extended the program to Valsad, around 90 kms away. The carcass was transported from Surat and the feeding site was tried out on a pilot basis for 3 days. About 45 vultures came to this feeding site. According to earlier records, only 18 vultures were recorded in this area. We are making efforts to extend this program to other sites in Gujarat as well. Awareness Programs
conducted
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The
Vulture Conservation Project is Conducted by Nature Club Surat from last several
years in Gujarat region. 
In
the beginning of 1990’s, the vultures in South Gujarat were in thousands.
Currently, the estimated population of vultures in Gujarat state is 1500, of
which 200 birds are resident in South Gujarat. 