Critically endangered long-billed vultures reintroduced in Maharashtra's Pench reserve

Nagpur: The Pench Tiger Reserve in partnership with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has successfully reintroduced critically endangered long-billed vultures into their natural habitat, marking a significant milestone in wildlife conservation.

The reintroduction efforts began on January 21 when 10 long-billed vultures were brought from the Jatayu Conservation & Breeding Center situated in Pinjore, Haryana, Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) Deputy Director Prabhu Nath Shukla said in a statement on Sunday.

The vultures were housed in a pre-release aviary at the central Bodalzira beat of East Pench Piparia Range, where they spent the past seven months acclimatising along with local wild vultures.

The crucial moment arrived on August 10 after months of careful preparation and observation when the long-billed vultures ventured out of the aviary and joined wild vultures in feasting on a chital carcass strategically placed outside the aviary, Shukla said.

Within a short time, all vultures, both released and wild, consumed the entire carcass, signalling success of the reintroduction process, he said.

Each released vulture was fitted with PTT (GPS) tags, enabling the ongoing monitoring of their movements and integration into the wild.

BNHS president Praveen Pardeshi, Director Kishore Rithe, RFOs and forest staff were present.

Shukla said the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) and BNHS will continue to track the movements of vultures through the GPS tags.

The project aims to provide valuable insights into the habitat, distribution, and conservation status of these majestic birds, reinforcing the commitment to preserving biodiversity, he added.