Vulture census: Tamil Nadu join hands with Kerala, Karnataka

CHENNAI: The forest departments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka will conduct a synchronised vulture census across the Nilgiri landscape on March 7 and 8, in a coordinated effort to assess the population of the endangered scavengers in one of southern India’s most important habitats.

The survey will focus on key forest ranges within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a region that has emerged as a vital stronghold for vultures in the southern part of the country.

The exercise follows encouraging results from the previous census, which recorded a noticeable rise in vulture numbers across the three states.

In a development that has boosted optimism among wildlife officials, field staff at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve recently spotted a vulture nest within the core area of the reserve for the first time. Until now, most nesting activity had been documented in buffer zones.

Forest officials have identified eight vantage points within the core zone of Mudumalai for this year’s survey to closely monitor nesting behaviour and population trends. The synchronised survey will cover several major wildlife habitats across the Nilgiri landscape.