Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary offers a safe haven for vultures
The Hindu
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is becoming a major habitat for vultures, with 51 individual vultures counted in the recent survey.
At a time when dwindling population of vulture species is a cause for concern for wildlife managers and ornithologists in the country, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), the only protected area in the State which harbours the avian population, is turning out to be a major habitat of the bird species.
As per the data from the first-ever tri-State synchronised vulture survey that was released recently, a total of 320 individual vultures were counted in the seven-protected areas, including 51 individual vultures in WWS, spread over Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The two-day survey was conducted in seven protected areas, including Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala; Bandipur Tiger Reserve (TR), Nagarhole TR, Satyamangalam TR and Biligiri Ranganathan Swamy Temple Tiger Reserve in Karnataka as well as and Nellai forest division and Mudumalai tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu, WWS warden Dinesh Kumar told The Hindu.
Of the 320 individual vultures counted in the survey, there were 217 white-rumped vultures, 47 long-billed, 50 Red-headed, four Egyptian vultures and two Himalayan griffons, Mr. Kumar said.
The sighting of Himalayan griffon is only reported from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, he added. The largest number of red-headed vultures is also reported from the sanctuary. As many as 12 camps were set up in the sanctuary for the survey and all the camps recorded vulture sightings, Mr. Kumar said adding that this was the first time that all the camps noted vulture sightings.
In the previous survey, organised in February 2023, only nine out of the 12 camps recorded vultures. As many as 51 vultures were recorded from Wayanad district this time, up from 46 recorded in the last survey.
Vettathgor camp of South Wayanad Division is the only place outside the Sanctuary area where two species of vultures – white-rumped and red-head – were sighted, he added.
Bengaluru commuters demand platform screen doors for safety, but high costs and engineering challenges hinder implementation on existing metro routes.
Madras HC to hear appeals on December 12 regarding the lighting of Mahadeepam at Thirupparankundram temple.
N. Ram warns that hate politics threatens India’s democracy, urging the South to remain a bastion against these forces.
Nanjil Sampath joins Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, revitalizing his political career after six years away from party politics.
D.K. Shivakumar announces that five Blue Line stations will open once construction is completed, enhancing Bengaluru's airport connectivity.
Russia begins fuel shipments for Kudankulam's third reactor, enhancing efficiency and extending operational cycles for the nuclear power project.
Supreme Court urges governments to simplify administration, warning that excessive rules may lead to judicial review and citizen burdens.
Trinamool MP Shatabdi Roy's remarks on Bangla-speaking deportations spark protests in Lok Sabha, igniting a heated political debate.
Sunali Khatun returns to India with her son after six months in Bangladesh, following Supreme Court intervention.
Warangal will be developed on the lines of Hyderabad, says Revanth
Three-tier security measures and traffic restrictions are in place for the India-South Africa ODI match in Vizag.
A seven-year-old girl dies from severe dengue shock syndrome in Bengaluru, highlighting the challenges faced by migrant families in healthcare access.
DGP reviews security arrangements for Global Summit