A review of the status of vultures in the southern state of Karnataka, India
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Vultures are vital scavengers that maintain ecological balance by feeding on carcasses. Among the nine vulture species in India, four are categorised as ‘Critically Endangered’, one as ‘Endangered’, three as ‘Near Threatened’, and one as ‘Least Concern’ as per the IUCN Red List. The vultures have experienced a global decline, while in India, majorly due to the use of diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). A review of all available literature on vultures from 1838 to December 2022 and extracting of all sight records from eBird to understand their status, occurrence, and distribution for the Indian state of Karnataka. The study reveals a total of seven vulture species recorded from the state, of them, one was misidentified, two are vagrants, and the other four species, namely Egyptian Vulture, White-rumped Vulture, Indian Vulture, and Red-headed Vulture, are residents. The resident vulture population in the state is experiencing a consistent decrease and has been confined in recent years to in and around Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves, while Egyptian Vulture is mostly observed in human-inhabited areas. In contrast to the gradual recovery of the Gyps vulture population across the country, the population in the Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary remains relatively low or decreasing. Periodic systematic population assessments and monitoring of nest sites, evaluating breeding patterns, and ensuring the availability of undisturbed carcasses for vultures to feed on are suggested.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT. This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership. Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.
Funding data
References
Abdulali, H. (1936). A note on the Alpine Swifts (Micropus melba bakeri Hartert) at Gersoppa. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 38(4): 829–830.
Ali, S. & H. Abdulali (1945). Some recent records of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus fulvescens Hume) in Peninsular India - a correction. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 45(2): 236–237.
Ali, S. & H. Whistler (1943). The birds of Mysore. Part IV. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 44(1): 9–26.
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1987). Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Oxford University Press, Delhi, 841 pp.
Anoop, N.R., S. Babu, R. Nagarajan, & S. Sen (2020). Identifying suitable reintroduction sites for the White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in India’s Western Ghats using niche models and habitat requirements. Ecological Engineering 158: 106034. https://doi.org/10.10 16/j.ecoleng2020.106034
Ashok, P. (2018). Population, breeding ecology and conservation threats of long-billed vultures (Gyps indicus) in the Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary in Ramanagara hills, Karnataka, pp. 69–71. In: Ramakrishnan, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the Workshop on Securing Vulture Population in Southern India (SVPSI 2018). Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, 138 pp.
BirdLife International (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International 614–620 pp.
Bowden, C.G. (2018). The current threats and status of Asian Vultures, pp. 27–30. In Ramakrishnan, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the workshop on Securing Vulture Population in Southern India (SVPSI 2018). Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, 138 pp.
Buechley, E.R. & C.H. Şekercioğlu (2016). The avian scavenger crisis: Looming extinctions, trophic cascades, and loss of critical ecosystem functions. Biological Conservation 198: 220– 228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.04.001
Byju, H. & N. Raveendran (2022). Egyptian Vultures extending to new landscapes in southern Tamil Nadu: Need for measures. Bird-o-soar #170, Zoo’s Print 37(6): 37-40.
Chakravarthy, A.K. & K.P.P. Tejasvi (1992). Birds of Hill Region of Karnataka. Bangalore: Navbharath Enterprises, 148 pp.
Chandrasekaran, S. (2018). Population estimation of vultures in Moyar valley: sweep surveys, pp. 44–46. In Ramakrishnan, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the Workshop on Securing Vulture Population in Southern India (SVPSI 2018). Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, 138 pp.
Chaudhary, A., T.R. Subedi, J.B. Giri, H.S. Baral, B. Bidari, H.E.M. Subedi & R.J. Cuthbert (2012). Population trends of Critically Endangered Gyps vultures in the lowlands of Nepal. Bird Conservation International 22(3): 270–278. https://doi.org/10.1017/S095927091- 000426
Chhangani, A.K. (2007). Sightings and nesting Colonies of Red-headed Vulture, Sarcogyps calvus in Rajasthan, India. Indian BIRDS 3(6): 218–211.
Cunningham, A.A., V. Prakash, D.J. Pain, G.R. Ghalsasi, G.A.H, Wells, G.N. Kolte & A.R. Rahmani (2003). Indian vultures: victims of an infectious disease epidemic? Animal Conservation 6(3): 189–197. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1973.tb10467.x
Cuthbert, R.J., R.E. Green, S. Ranade, S. Saravanan, D.J. Pain, V. Prakash & A.A. Cunningham (2006). Rapid population declines of Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and red‐headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) in India. Animal Conservation 9(3): 349–354. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2006.00041.x
Cuthbert, R.J., M.A. Taggart, M. Saini, A. Sharma, A. Das, M.D. Kulkarni, & R.E Green (2016/5). Continuing mortality of vultures in India associated with illegal veterinary use of diclofenac and a potential threat from nimesulide. Oryx 50(1): 104–112. https://doi.org/10.1 017/S003060531500037X
Davidar, E.R.C & P. Davidar (2002). Possible causes for the decline of Oriental White-rumped vultures (Gyps bengalensis) in the Segur region (Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu), India. Vulture News 47: 3–6.
Davidar, P. (2007). Indian White-backed Vultures Gyps bengalensis in the Segur region of Tamil Nadu. Indian BIRDS 3(4): 149.
Davidson, J.A.G. (1898). The birds of North Kanara. Part II. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 12(1): 43–72.
Dhakal, H., K.M. Baral, K.P. Bhusal & H.P. Sharma (2014). First record of nests and breeding success of Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus and implementation of Vulture Conservation Programs in Nepal. Ela Journal 3(3): 9–15.
Ding Li, Y. & C. Kasornkorkbua (2008). The status of the Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis in South-East Asia. Forktail 24: 57–62.
Gadhvi, I.R. & P.P. Dodia (2006). Indian White-backed Vultures Gyps bengalensis nesting in Mahuva, Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. Indian BIRDS 2(2): 36.
Gajamohanraj, D. (2020). A Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus from Moyar Valley, Masinagudi, Tamil Nadu. Indian BIRDS 16(5): 160–161.
Galligan, T.H., T. Amano, V.M. Prakash, M. Kulkarni, R. Shringarpure, N. Prakash & R.J. Cuthbert (2014). Have population declines in Egyptian Vulture and Red-headed Vulture in India slowed since the 2006 ban on veterinary diclofenac? Bird Conservation International 24(3): 272–281. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270913000580
Green, R.E., I. Newton, S. Shultz, A.A. Cunningham, M. Gilbert, D.J. Pain & V. Prakash (2004). Diclofenac poisoning as a cause of vulture population declines across the Indian subcontinent. Journal of Applied Ecology 41(5): 793–800. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0021- 8901.2004.00954.x
Green, R.E., M.A. Taggart, K.R. Senacha, B. Raghavan, D.J. Pain, Y. Jhala & R.J. Cuthbert (2007). Rate of decline of the oriental white-backed vulture population in India estimated from a survey of diclofenac residues in carcasses of ungulates. PLoS One 2(8): e686. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0000686
Jha, K.K. (2017). Vulture Atlas Central India-MP, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, India, 206pp.
Jha, K.K. & R. Jha (2021). Study of Vulture Habitat Suitability and Impact of Climate Change in Central India Using MaxEnt. Journal of Resources and Ecology 12(1): 30–42.
Khan, M.M.H. (2013). Population, breeding and threats to the White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis in Bangladesh. Forktail 29: 52–56.
Koelz, W. (1942). Notes on the birds of the Londa neighbourhood, Bombay Presidency. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 43(1): 11–33.
Kumaraguru, A., V. Saraswathi, M. Tharik, S. Ramasubramaniam & T. Brinda (2021). First Sighting of Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis) in Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary, Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. Indian Forester 147(10): 101–102.
Majgaonkar, I., C.G. Bowden & S. Quader (2018). Nesting success and nest-site selection of White-rumped Vultures (Gyps bengalensis) in western Maharashtra, India. Journal of Raptor Research 52(4): 431–442. https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-17-26.1
Manigandan, S., P. Kannan, P, H. Byju, S. Bharathidasan, C. Thambi & B. Ramakrishnan (2021). Death of a Himalayan Vulture in South India highlights the potential threat of power infrastructure. Vulture News 80: 20–22.
Manigandan, S., H. Byju & P. Kannan (2023). Assessing the accuracy of population estimation methods for vulture populations: a case study from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India. Environmental and Experimental Biology 21: 45–52. http://doi.org/10.22364/ee- b.21.06
Markandya, A., T. Taylor, A. Longo, M.N. Murty, S. Murty & K. Dhavala (2008). Counting the cost of vulture decline—an appraisal of the human health and other benefits of vultures in India. Ecological Economics 67(2): 194–204.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.04.020
McClure C. J.W., R.S. J. Westrip, J. A. Johnson, S. E. Schulwitz, M. Z. Virani, R. Davies, A. Symes, H. Wheatley, R. Thorstrom, A. Amar, R. Buij, V. R. Jones, N. P. Williams, E. R. Buechley, S.H.M. Butchart (2018). State of the world’s raptors: Distributions, threats, and conservation recommendations. Biological Conservation 227: 390–402; https://doi.org/10.101 6/j.biocon.2018.08.012
Misher, C., H. Bajpai, S. Bhattarai, P. Sharma, R. Sharma & N. Kumar (2017). Observations on the reeding of Indian long-billed vultures Gyps indicus at Gapernath, Chambal River in Rajasthan, India. Vulture News 72: 14–21.
MoEFCC (2020). Action Plan for Vulture Conservation in India, 2020‐2025 Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Government of India, 98pp.
Morales-Reyes, Z., J.M. Pérez-García, M. Moleón, F. Botella, M. Carrete, C. Lazcano & J.A. Sánchez-Zapata (2015). Supplanting ecosystem services provided by scavengers raises greenhouse gas emissions. Scientific Reports 5(1): 7811. https://doi.org/10.1038/sr-ep07811
Munstermann, M. J., N.A. Heim, D. J. McCauley, J. L. Payne, N. S Upham, S. C. Wang, & M.L. Knope (2022). A global ecological signal of extinction risk in terrestrial vertebrates. Conservation Biology 36(3): e13852. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13852
Oaks, J.L., M. Gilbert, M.Z. Virani, R.T. Watson, C.U. Meteyer, B.A. Rideout, H.L. Shivaprasad, S. Ahmed, M.J.I. Chaudhry, M. Arshad, S. Mahmood, A. Ali & A.A. Khan (2004). Diclofenac residues as the cause of vulture population decline in Pakistan. Nature 427: 630–633. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02317
Pittie, A. (2000a). Birding notes. Pitta 112: 7–8.
Pittie, A. (2000b). Birding notes. Pitta 108: 7–8.
Pittie, A. (2001a). Birding notes. Pitta 117: 5–6.
Pittie, A. (2001b). Birding notes. Pitta 122-123: 7–8
Prakash, V., D.J. Pain, A.A. Cunningham, P.F. Donald, N. Prakash, A. Verma, R. Gargi, S. Sivakumar & A.R. Rahmani (2003). Catastrophic collapse of Indian White Backed (Gyps bengalensis) and Long-billed (Gyps indicus) vultures population. Biological Conservation 109(3): 381–390. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(02)00164-7
Prakash, V., R.E. Green, D.J. Pain, S.P. Ranade, S. Saravanan & N. Prakash (2007). Recent changes in populations of resident Gyps vultures in India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 104(2): 127–133.
Prakash, V., M.C. Bishwakarma, A. Chaudhary, R. Cuthbert, R. Dave, M. Kulkarni, S. Kumar, K. Paudel, S. Ranade, R. Shringarpure & R.E. Green (2012). The population decline of Gyps vultures in India and Nepal has slowed since veterinary use of diclofenac was banned. PLoS One 7(11): e49118. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049118
Prakash, V., T.H. Galligan, S.S. Chakraborty, R. Dave, M.D. Kulkarni, N. Prakash & R.E. Green (2019). Recent changes in populations of Critically Endangered Gyps vultures in India. Bird Conservation International 29(1): 55–70. https://doi.org/10.1017/S09592709170 00545
Praveen, J. (2007). In the news. Indian BIRDS 3(4): 157–159.
Praveen, J., P.O. Nameer, D. Karuthedathu, C. Ramaiah, B. Balakrishnan, K.M. Rao & I. Tavcar (2014). On the vagrancy of the Himalayan Vulture Gyps himalayensis to southern India. Indian BIRDS 9(1): 19–22.
Rajkumar, D. (2018). Status of vultures in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, pp. 63–68. In Ramakrishnan, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the workshop on Securing Vulture Population in Southern India (SVPSI2018). Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, 138 pp.
Ramakrishnan, B., S. Ramasubramanian, M. Saravanan & C. Arivazhagan (2010). Is Diclofenac the only culprit for declining population of Gyps vultures in the Moyar Valley. Current Science 99(12): 1645–1646.
Ramakrishnan, B., S. Ramasubramanian & A. Samson (2012). Occurrence of Red-headed vulture in Segur plateau, Tamil Nadu. Current Science 102(6): 832
Ramakrishnan, B., G. Kannan, A. Samson, K. Ramkumar & S. Ramasubramanian (2014). Nesting of White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in the Segur Plateau of The Nilgiri North Forest Division. Indian Forester 140(10): 1014–1018. https://doi.org/10.36 808 /if /2 014/-v140i10/53493
Ramakrishnan, B., A. Samson & A. Veeramani (2018). Conservation strategies for securing critically endangered White-rumped (Gyps bengalensis) and Long-billed (Gyps indicus) vulture species in the Tamil Nadu part of the Nilgiri biosphere reserve, pp. 55–62. In: Ramakrishnan, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the workshop on Securing Vulture Population in Southern India (SVPSI 2018). Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, 138 pp.
Ramesh, J. (2005). Ninety White-rumped Vultures (Gyps bengalensis) sighted at the Nagarhole National Park. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 45(3): 45.
Ramesh T., K. Sankar & Q. Qureshi (2011). Status of vultures in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India. Forktail 27: 96–97.
Rasmussen, P.C. & J.C. Anderton (2012). Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide. 2nd ed. Washington D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions 2 volumes. 1– 378 pp; 1–683 pp.
Ravikanth, M. & H. Shaik (2018). Status of vultures in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, pp. 72– 74. In: Ramakrishnan, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the workshop on Securing Vulture Population in Southern India (SVPSI 2018). Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, 138 pp.
Robson, C. (2014). From the field: India. BirdingASIA 21: 122–123.
Roshnath, R. & C. Sashikumar (2021). Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus, an addition to the checklist of the birds of Kerala. Indian BIRDS 17(2): 63–64.
Samson, A., B. Ramakrishanan, G. Kannan, S. Renuka & S. Ramasubramanian (2014). Emerging threats for Egyptian vulture (Neophoran percnopterus ginginianus) in the Chamundi Hills Reserved Forest, Mysore, Karnataka. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 50(2): 16– 17
Samson, A., B. Ramakrishnan, A. Veeramani & P. Ravi (2015). Occupation of Indian Giant Squirrel nests by White-rumped Vultures Gyps bengalensis in India. Podoces 10(2): 35–36.
Samson, A. & B. Ramakrishnan (2016a). Observation of a population of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus in Ramanagaram Hills, Karnataka, southern India. Vulture News 71(2): 36–49
Samson, A., B. Ramakrishnan, A. Veeramani & P. Ravi (2016b). Population Status and Habitat Preference of Vultures in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu Southern India. Podoces 11(1): 7–12.
Samson, A., B. Ramakrishnan, A. Veeramani & P. Ravi (2016c). Taphonomy perspectives on Tiger (Panthera tigris) kills and nature deaths of domestic buffalo Bubalus bubalis (Linnaeus, 1785) with special reference to vultures and other scavenger vertebrates. Journal of Scientific Transactions in Environment and Technovation 10(1): 222–224.
Samson, A., B. Ramakrishnan, V. Selvan & S. Manigandan (2019). Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, and its status in southern India. Indian BIRDS 15(3): 93–94.
Sarath, C.R. (2000). Vultures of Nagarhole National Park. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 40(2): 26.
Sarrazin, F., C. Bagnolini, J.L. Pinna, E. Danchin & J. Clobert (1994). High survival estimates of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus fulvus) in a reintroduced population. The Auk 111(4): 853–862. https://doi.org/10.2307/4088817
Sashikumar, C. (2001). Vultures in Kerala. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 41(1): 1–3
Sashikumar, C. & C.K. Vishnudas (2014). Conservation of the critically endangered vultures in wayanad and the neighbouring areas of Kerala as part of establishing a vulture safe zone in South India. A Report of the CEPF-ATREE Western Ghats Small Grants Program 2013–2014, 48pp.
Sashikumar, C. & C.K. Vishnudas (2018). Status of vultures in Kerala, pp. 41–43. In: Ramakrishnan, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the workshop on Securing Vulture Population in Southern India (SVPSI 2018). Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India, 138 pp.
Satheesan, S.M. (1990). A record of the Indian Griffon Vulture in south India. Vulture News 23: 22
Şekercioğlu, Ç.H., G.C. Daily & P.R. Ehrlich (2004). Ecosystem consequences of bird decline. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101(52): 18042–18047. https://doi.org/10.1-073/pnas.0408049101
Shultz, S., H.S Baral, S. Charman, A.A. Cunningham, D. Das, G.R. Ghalsasi, M.S. Goudar, R.E. Green, A. Jones, P. Nighot, D.J. Pain & V. Prakash (2004). Diclofenac poisoning is widespread in declining vulture populations across the Indian subcontinent. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271:458–S460. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2004.0223
Straub, M.H., T.R. Kelly, B.A. Rideout, C. Eng, J. Wynne, J. Braun & C.K. Johnson (2015). Seroepidemiologic survey of potential pathogens in obligate and facultative scavenging avian species in California. PloS One 10(11): e0143018. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.01430 -18
Subramanya, S. (2001). Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus (Linn.), family Accipitridae, in Karnataka. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 98(2): 278.
Subramanya, S. & O.C. Naveen (2006). Breeding of Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus at Ramanagaram hills, Karnataka, India. Indian BIRDS 2(2): 32–34.
Surve Siddhesh S. (2016). Snapshot sightings: Himalayan Vulture from Uttara Kannada, Karnataka. Indian BIRDS 11(3): 84A.
Swan G.,V. Naidoo, R. Cuthbert, R.E. Green, D.J. Pain, D. Swarup, V. Prakash, M. Taggart, L. Bekker, D. Das, J. Diekmann, M. Diekmann, E. Killian, A. Meharg, R.C. Patra, M. Saini, K. Wolter (2006). Removing the threat of diclofenac to critically endangered Asian vultures. PLoS Biology 4(3): e66. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040066
Taylor, C.J.W. (1887). A tentative list of the Birds of Manzeerabad, Mysore. Stray Feathers 10: 454–467.
Thakur, M.L. & S.K. Narang (2012). Population status and habitat-use pattern of Indian White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in Himachal Pradesh, India. Journal of Ecology and the Natural Environment 4(7): 173‒180. https://doi.org/10.5897/JENE11.103
Thejaswi, S. (2003). Birds of Narayanadurga Hill. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 43(2): 18–22. Thejaswi, S. (2004). A sight record of the Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus near Mysore, Karnataka, India. Newsletter for Ornithologists 1(5): 74.
Umapathy, G., S. Hussain & S. Shivaji (2009). Status and distribution on vultures in Andhra Pradesh, India. Forktail 25: 163–165.
Van Den Heever, L., L.J. Thompson, W.W. Bowerman, H. Smit-Robinson, L.J. Shaffer, R.M. Harrell & M.A. Ottinger (2021). Reviewing the role of vultures at the human-wildlife livestock disease interface: An African perspective. Journal of Raptor Research 55(3): 311– 327. https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-20-22
Venkitachalam, R. & N. Senthilnathan (2015). Breeding Record of Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) in Moyar Valley, Tamil Nadu, India. Current Science 109(2): 258–259.
Venkitachalam, R. & S. Senthilnathan (2016). Status and population of vultures in Moyar Valley, southern India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(1): 8358–8364. https://doi.org/10.11-609/jott.2522.8.1.8358-8364
Wilbur, S.R. & J.A. Jackson (eds.) (1983). Vulture Biology and Management. University of California Press, 550 pp.