Other vulture species threatened in India



Gloomy news from India indicates that populations of two, previously unthreatened, vulture species are now in rapid decline. In this paper, recently published in the journal Animal Conservation, analysis of repeated surveys in and near protected areas widely spread across India shows that populations of two other vulture species, Egyptian vulture
Neophron percnopterus and red-headed vulture Sarcogyps calvus, have also declined markedly and rapidly, but probably with a later onset than Gyps vultures in the same region.  The declines continued at least up to 2003. It is recommended that these two species are considered for inclusion in the IUCN Red List and for urgent remedial conservation measures.  Research is needed to determine whether or not the principal cause of these declines is diclofenac poisoning and to establish population trends in other scavenging birds in the Indian subcontinent.

For the full pdf of the paper follow this link:
Rapid population declines of Egyptian vulture and red-headed vulture in India

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Red-headed vulture (photo from: http://www.birdfinders.co.uk/images/red-headed-vulture-

Egyptian vulture (photo from: http://www.neophron.com/gallery/05_07.