Conservationists call for joint action plan to protect vultures in South India, propose GPS-tagging study in Tamil Nadu
The Hindu
Conservationists in India push for vulture protection blueprint, including GPS-tagging and ban on harmful NSAIDs.
Asserting that Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) continue to be a major threat to the vultures in India, conservationists have come out with a blueprint for the protection of vulture populations in southern part of the country, comprising Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
To replicate efforts done in northern parts of India, conservationists also wanted to accord permission for GPS-tagging of vultures in Tamil Nadu for a study.
A meeting of experts held in Coimbatore on Monday discussed collaborative efforts for vulture safe zones in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
The blueprint wanted the Drugs Controller General of India to ban veterinary use of drugs Nimesulide, Flunixin and Carprofen that are harmful to the vultures. It wanted authorities to step up vigilance on multi-dose vials of Diclofenac, Aceclofenac and Ketoprofen in pharmacies.
The blueprint has stressed the need to document cattle mortality in vulture zones, notify Moyar valley as a vulture sanctuary, community-led vulture-based ecotourism, creating awareness among dairy farmers on NSAIDs harmful to vultures and ensuring timely supply of safe drugs such as Meloxicam and Tolfenamic acid to government veterinary dispensaries.
The document also seeks the government to grant permission to Coimbatore-based Arulagam nature conservation organisation to carry out GPS-tagging of vultures for monitoring.
Arulagam secretary S. Bharathidasan said proposals seeking permission for the GPS-tagging had been sent to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The proposal aimed at fixing tracking devices on a total of 20 individuals of critically endangered vulture species, namely White-rumped vulture (12), Red-headed vulture or Asian king vulture (4) and Long-billed vulture or Indian vulture (4).
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