1 | P a g e

MAHESH CHANDRA SINGHAL

I.F.S.

Conservator of Forests

Tikamgarh (M.P.)

2 | P a g e

Vulture conservation outside the protected area

Mahesh Chandra Singhal

Conservator of forests

Tikamgarh MP

Email-msinghal1509@ mail. Com

ABSTRACT

Vulture is a scavenging bird of prey. These

scavengers have bare head and necks i.e. featherless. They

play important role in the environment. If there were no

vultures, many parts of the world would look like junkyards

of bones and meat. They works in the nature as

“INCINERATOR’’.

Tikamgarh district outside protected area abodes a

promising vulture population with suitable habitat. There are

critically endangered species of vultures are available in

Orchha. The census 2011 resulted in number of only 82

vultures outside the P.A .

World wise census of vultures concluded that 97%vultures disappeared within the short span of 15

years. It inspired me to manage the vulture habitat outside the protected area. Taking it as a target

some experts were invited to Tikamgarh. A workshop was organised with support of few NGO’s to

stop the use of Diclofenac in animal husbandry with medical support to protect injured and diseased

vultures. This resulted in unexpected results. Vultures sighting increased significantly. Thus after

one year vulture counting was conducted again with the help of head of the department Zoology

Lucknow university and experts from Gujtat, Satna and Ujjain.

The vulture counting resulted in increase of 43 vultures in one year.

3 | P a g e

INRTODUCTION

Orchha is a well known place in India where the famous story of Alha-Udal originated and it is

believed that lord RAMA came to Orchha with queen of Orchha and settled there as a child.

Thus the great monument of Ramlala was constructed by king Madhukar shah. Thousands

and thousands of people visits Orchha for worship of Ramlala every year.

As the Orchha was kingdom of Rudra Pratap Singh Bundela several temples and monuments

were constructed during his dynasty. These monuments and temples were the main shelter of several

vultures including critically endangered King vulture and long billed vulture but no cognigence was

taken for the natural incinerators as they were in plenty, but in the span of 15years since 1997to2011

they reduced to 97%which is critical viable population of available species. Dividing them according

to species some of them were below the viable population.

Thus the specific study was made . Remains of dead vultures were collected and analysed

scientifically. Special programme with NGO’s and HOD Zoology Lucknow university was

conducted which includes motivation of subordinate staff, motivation of veterinary doctor to avoid

Diclofenac, motivation of medical store owner not to sale Diclofenac for veterinary use and public

awareness programme were also organised to analyse the information regarding injured and sick

vultures intensively it supported rehabilitation of critically endangered vultures species of Orchha

which is adjoining to very small sanctuary having only 45 sq k.m. area and even unknown for Indian

tourist.

4 | P a g e

MADHYA PRADESH

TIKAMGARH

5 | P a g e

MAP OF TIKAMGARH

6 | P a g e

MATARIAL AND METHOD USED

As the problem was wide spread and several social units like pharmacist, Veterinarian and local

residents were found involved in the root cause of decline of critically endangered vultures. It was

not possible for the forest department alone to handle the situation. After several meetings and

discussions with subordinate staff we came to the conclusion that the other government, semi

government or non government organizations should also be involved to fetch the desired results.

Thus we invited members of Zoology Department Lucknow, locally available Non Government

organisations, and persons interested in Vulture conservation by getting their addresses from

Department of Zoology Luknow University Lucknow.

As the problem was started long back its back ground and cause was also required to be assessed. For

the purpose of assessment all the faculty member, interested volunteers, local N.G.O. Forest officials

Local vet and local officers of Administration were involved in assessment by holding several

meetings. The main causes of decline of vulture assessed were:-

1. Use of Diclofenac for treatment of Domestic Cattle

2. Kite flying by glass coated thread.

3. Use of oregano phosphate poison.

4. Dehydration during summer season.

5. Disturbances to habitat.

6. Shortage of food material.

7. Lack of rescue centre and veterinary assistance.

8. Lack of awareness among the local people.

9. Lack of timely information and steps taken.

10. Shortage of huge trees like semal, Neem Arjun,

Bargad etc. for nesting .

After discussion all interested members were divided in to six groups, rendering specific job to each

of them.

7 | P a g e

TEAM -1

Team -1 includes one member from N.G.O. Four Forest

Guards with one Drug Inspector deputed by Collector

and CMO were assigned to campaign as well as to check

that Medical Store Owner and local Vat should neither

sale nor use the banned drug Diclofenac for animal

treatment as this medicine react like poison by

inactivating kidneys of vultures.

In domestic cattle this drug is simply used as a pain

killer and not is a life saving medicine. Team was also

guided to explain that avoiding use of Diclofenac will not

cause any damage in animal husbandry as several other

pain killers like Meloxicam Etc. are available in plenty in

the market for vaternary use .

Using proper and convincing education quality of Non

Government Organisations and threat of administrative

officers 95% supply of Diclofenac for vaternary use is

reduced in Orchha area .

Diclofenac

Systematic (IUPAC) name Systematic (IUPAC)

name

2 - ( 2 - (2 ,6- dichlorophenyl amino) phenyl) acetic acid

Diclofenac as sold in the market

8 | P a g e

Studies in Pakistan showed diclofenac caused acute kidney failure in vultures when they ate the

carcasses of animals that had recently been treated with it. Drug-sensitive species and individual

humans are initially assumed to lack genes expressing specific drug detoxification enzymes.

TEAM-2

Team-2 including one local Vat, One member from

N.G.O.,4 forest guards with 10 menials were

assigned duty to check dead cattle.

They were trained for the job to collect different

samples from dead cattle and to get the samples

analysed from forensic lab Sagar that whether the

sample contains Diclofenac or not.

They were also supported to get the results

immediately. If forensic experts’ reported presence

of Diclofenac then remaining members of the team

who bears the responsibility to guards the Caracas

were also directed to bury it immediately to such a

depth so the Caracas should remain out of the reach

VULTURE EATING CARACAS

of Scavengers, simultaneously they have to identify the owner of the dead cattle. In first

instance the owner was warned not to use Diclofenac and if consequent case of the same owner

was detected the owner was prosecuted prosecuted in the court of law under provisions of wild

life act in which causing fetal attempts to schedule 1 animal falls under the category of poaching

of section 9. Although the cases were registered outside the protected area but the cases were

produced before the court quoting the fact that Vultures may come from adjoining wild life

sanctuary and act equals to destruction of habitat.

9 | P a g e

TEAM-3

Third team was engaged in getting such

dead animals from surrounding area which

is found free from Diclofenac effect. They

were given the responsibility to take care of

such Caracas and to transport it to the

peripheral area of sanctuary, and put it

under observation till scavenger takes care

of it, but strictly outside the sanctuary area

as it is prohibited in Protected Areas like

Orchha sanctuary. They were also assigned

the duty to observe the Caracas till it is used

by Vultures usually other scavengers take

care of Caracas as soon as it is left by

Vultures. This step was taken after long

discussions with participants who said that

food availability to be insured for Vultures

till eco-system comes in balance status and

use of Diclofenac is totally vanished from

the area.

10 | P a g e

TEAM-4

Team 4 was constituted with one member

from N.G.O with four volunteers and two

forest guards. They were provided with four

Mobile phones and were made responsible to

ensure fast recovery of injured and sick

Vultures from Orchha and its 10 km

peripheral areas . Specially from the railway

line and from Caracas of animals in area.

They were initially trained to provide first aid

and to handle and transport the animal from

the site to control room. One separate room

was provided to vat and N.G.O. trained in

Vulture treatment at Range Office Orchha. All

preliminary requirements to treat the vultures

were made available at this point. One vehicle

was also provided to this group by local tour

operator who was in support of Vulture

conservation after motivation on the

contributory system patrol oil and lubricant

was to be managed by forest or N.G.O.to

manage all emergencies.

VULTURES DIED DUE TO ACCIDENTS

11 | P a g e

TEAM-5

Team 5 was the rescue team placed at control

room to handle the injured vulture rescued by

Team no 4. Local vat was instructed to reach the

centre without delay and to handle the case with

N.G.O. at top priority, if they found serious

injuries to animal they have to shift it

immediately to district vaternary Hospital

Tikamgarh for further treatment, but no

causalities should occur due to delay or

carelessness.

Care of injured Juveniles

TEAM-6

Team of one N.G.O member, four forest guards and two Range Officers respectively Range

Officer Orchha and Game Ranger Orchha was created under my supervision with support of

Head of the Department Zoology and Miss Sonika Kushwaha research scholar on Vulture

habitat to supervise the overall work and to release the rescued and treated Vultures after putting

a mark on it to observe the marked Vulture for a month. This team also co-ordinated with “Gou

Sadan” of Orchha to provide dead animals who were not treated with Diclofenac so that Caracas

can be made available to the recovered Vulture as immediately food is required to avoid death

due to hunger.

12 | P a g e

Process continued from the year 2011 to

2012. All teams were engaged in their

assigned job with full sincerity. In the month

of November all volunteers and forest

official decided to conduct counting of

Vultures outside P.A.as they appeared in

larger number. Continuous meetings and

discussions were organized between all

participants of Vulture conservationist to

decide the process of Vulture estimation.

Finally it was decided to approach all the

sites where vultures are found on specific

date and time so that duplication in counting

can be avoided, for the purpose again six

teams were formed and date decided was 19th

December 2012.

CONSTITUTION OF TEAM IN WORKSHOP

OBSERVERS:-

1. Mahesh Chandra Singhal I.F.S. Conservator Of Forests Tikamgarh

2. Dr Anita Kanaujia Associate Professor, Department of Zoology University of Luknow

3. Dilsher Khan Prachin Jeevdaya Sansthan Satna (Member W.L.Board M.P.)

13 | P a g e

TEAM CONSTITUTED WAS AS UNDER:-

S.N. TEAM MEMBERS TEAM GROUP AREA

1 Kartik Shashtri (Team Leader)

R.P.Vanshkar (Forester)

Mulayam Sing (Forest Guard)

Ram Swroop Yadav (Forest Guard)

Syaid Ali (Driver)

A SINONIYA

GROUP

2 Sonika Kushwaha (Team Leader)

Rajesh Kumar Bhatt (Forest Guard)

Ravishankar Goswami (Forest Guard)

B CHHATRI

GROUP

3 Akhilesh Kumar (Team Leader)

Pallu Lal Ahirwar (Forester)

Vijaishankar Shrivastva (F.Guard)

Chote Lal Sour (F.Guard)

Amar Sing Yadav (Daily Wedger)

C MAROR

AREA

4 Ashish Vishwakarma (Team Leader)

M.M.Khare ( Forester)

Habib Ali (Deputy Ranger)

D JAHAGIR

GROUP

5 Aditya Roy (Team Leader)

Harish Arya N.G.O.

Mahboob Sheikh (Deputy Ranger)

Girdhari Napit (F.Gaurd)

E KOTHI

GULENDA

6 Vikas Yadav (Team Leader)

Rijwan Khan N.G.O.

Anoop Sing Rajpoot (F.Guard)

OmPrakash Pathak (Forester)

Ratan Singh ( Forester)

Buddhlal Ahirwar (F.Guard)

F KARIPADER

AREA

14 | P a g e

TEAM- A (SINONIYA AREA)

15 | P a g e

TEAM-B (CHATRI GROUP)

16 | P a g e

TEAM-C (MAROR GROUP)

17 | P a g e

TEAM-D (JAHAGEER GROUP)

18 | P a g e

TEAM-E (KOTI-GULENDA GROUP)

19 | P a g e

TEAM-F (KARI-PADAR GROUP)

20 | P a g e

CENSUS :-

Census conducted on 19th

December 2012 by six

teams at a time and data was collected and

annexed as annx-1.The persons supported in

counting were registered by the Head Of the

Zoology Department Lucknow and Non Govt.

Organization. The attendance sheet is attached

annx.2

The exercise conducted by Forest staff, N.G.O.

and local administration with support of

residents and Zoology Department resulted in

big achievement of efforts made to save the

Vultures. In census of 2011 presence of only 82

Vultures were found while in this census we

found 125 Vultures in same area. It motivated

the local staff as well as residents of the area for

vulture conservation which cleans the Caracas

without any efforts it also motivated the local

people for denial of use of Diclofenac in cattle.

The population of different species of vultures

also raised up to the viable population. Forest

team is still fighting with situation to achieve

target of minimum 500 vultures in Orchha area

outside the Protected Area. It will automatically

maintain the natural cleaning system which will

lead to reduction of pollution and direct carbon

emission in atmosphere.

21 | P a g e

Measures taken to conserve and increase the population of

vultures of Orchha

Total ban on veterinary use of Diclofenac & use of Meloxicame to be encouraged by

providing subsidiary on it by N . G . O .

Conservation of Goushalas of all surrounding areas .

Prohibition on cutting of huge trees like Semal, Arjun, Neem, Bargad and Haldu etc.

Emphasis on plantation of the mentioned large trees around Orchha encouraged. About

5000 trees are ready in nursery to be planted this year .

Prohibition on picking and collection of raw material required for nest preparation from

the surrounding forest areas.

Prohibition on use of crackers and fireworks in and around Orchha monuments on

festivities except marriage and dipawali .

Prohibition on uncontrolled entries of tourists inside the monuments where nests are

established and ready for hatching especially on the upper floors .

Warning boards in and around monuments are fixed regarding prohibition of any act

which disturbs the vultures and to their nest to protect the habitat.

Training programme for veterinary doctor as well as of the forest guards regarding

rescue operations of injured and dehydrated birds organized.

Rehabilitation centre near the breeding site under the supervision of the forest

department and veterinary doctor posted in orchha.

22 | P a g e

An exhaustive mass awareness programme to sensitize the local people such as students,

teachers, businessman, agricultural, people related to temples and others also organised.

Total prohibition on mending of the monuments during breeding season i.e. September-

June by coordinating with Archeological department.

Total prohibition on permission for film shooting inside the premises of the Orchha

monuments during breeding season i.e. September- June by coordinating with

archeological department and office of the District Magistrate.

All feeding and roosting site of vultures conserved.

CONCLUSION:-

A minor effort with proper technological support can recoupe the distroyed habitat which is not

in a position to be reclaimed autometically.Now the situation has come not only to intevine in

the mentenance of vulture habitat but also to intervine in habitat mentenance of all those species

out side the protected area which are at the verge of its extintion,so that declination in number

of species can be reduced and changes in environment can be delayed to save human race.

Mahesh Chandra Singhal

I.F.S

Conservator Of Forests

Tikamgarh (M.P.)

23 | P a g e

Attendance Sheet

24 | P a g e

25 | P a g e

26 | P a g e

27 | P a g e