Vulture with ‘satellite tagging’ found in Bihar traced to Nepal
DARBHANGA: A white-rumped vulture, attached to a solar-powered satellite device, which was found in a paddy field in a village in Bihar’s Darbhanga district on November 13, was released by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation from Jatayu Restaurant, Nawalparasi in Nepal on November 8, last year, said a senior Bihar forest and environmnet department official.
“The white-rumped vulture (WRV) is a critically endangered species. The ecotone satellite tag had stopped providing data since April,” the official said.
According to additional principal chief conservator (APCC)of forest, Prabhat Kumar Gupta, the vulture had become weak due to starving when it was found in the paddy field in Darbhanga’s Benipur block.
“It was captive and rear adult vulture which had travelled to Sohagi Barwa Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh in February. It then flew back to Nepal on April 26. It was last seen in September,” Gupta said.
The first official said that satellite tagging of vultures gives information about migration and other movements, habitat preferences, territory, etc. “It plays an important role to plan the conservation work of these species. Tagging helps in getting in-depth scientific information about the feeding site and general height at which these scavengers fly besides preferred roosting and breeding sites,” the first official said.
Even as the speculation was rife among the villagers that the vulture might have been released on some “espionage mission”, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Mithila region, Subodh Kumar Gupta clarified that the device attached to the vulture was merely for tracking and research work. “We found that the bird was weak due to starvation. An examination of diclofenac poisoning was also conducted. Food/meat was supplied. It is eating normally now”, the DFO said.
Gupta said that the entire exercise is being monitored by Bhagalpur-based bird ringing and monitoring centre
“As soon as the vulture gains health, it will be released for onward flight. However, we will ensure that the satellite tag is removed”, Gupta said.