Vulture census: Choral emerges as safe haven, urban habitats see alarming decline

Indore: The statewide three-day biannual vulture census concluded on Sunday, revealing a stark contrast in the health of ecological corridors across the Indore forest division. While the dense forests of Choral became a thriving haven for these nature's scavengers, urban-adjacent areas like Indore and Mhow witnessed a troubling exodus and decline in vulture populations.Vulture sightings increased steadily over the three days, peaking at 138 on Sunday at the Choral forest range. Wildlife experts attributed this success to Choral's rich biodiversity and undisturbed environment. The high density of prey and wildlife ensured a steady supply of carcasses, attracting vultures that were frequently seen circling the canopy.In contrast to Choral, Indore and Mhow ranges recorded dismal numbers, with Indore barely touching 15 sightings on its best day. Former forest official Abhay Jain highlighted a combination of man-made factors driving this decline. He said that the historical use of Diclofenac, a painkiller for cattle, remained a primary killer. Vultures that consumed carcasses of cattle treated with this drug suffered from fatal kidney failure."The complete removal of waste from the Devguradia trenching ground stripped vultures of a major food source, forcing them to migrate elsewhere," he said, adding that expansion of road and railway projects led to large-scale deforestation, destroying the tall trees and high cliffs required for nesting. "Lack of adequate food and environmental stress significantly lowered the breeding capacity of the surviving population," he said.Following the field exercise, Indore forest division is preparing a comprehensive 10-point report for the headquarters. DFO Lal Sudhakar Singh stated that the report would detail the ratio of adults to juveniles and the number of active nests. This data would be submitted to the state headquarters on Feb 23 to formulate a long-term conservation strategy for Madhya Pradesh.In Neemuch district, the census recorded 507 vultures across Neemuch, Manasa, Rampura, Jawad, and Ratangarh ranges. Under the leadership of SDO forest Dashrath Akhand, the department used a specialised mobile application for the first time to record data. To ensure accuracy, only vultures perched on trees or cliffs were counted, while those in flight were excluded to avoid duplication.In Dewas, Udainagar and Hasalpur forest range of the district, a total of 88 vultures, including 1 Himalayan griffon and the remaining Egyptian vultures, were spotted. On the other side, the Dhar forest department spotted only two vultures in a three-day-long survey, which was a 50% decline from last year's count of four. Dhar DFO Vijaymanthan TR told TOI that 97 officials were posted in as many forest beats for the survey that concluded with spotting only two vultures. Gandhi Sagar becomes a paradise for vulturesWhile Indore struggled, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur cemented its status as a premier vulture hub. A total of 1,084 vultures were recorded here, including seven distinct species.Long-billed, white-rumped, red-headed and Egyptian vultures breed locally were on the towering cliffs along the Chambal river. The sanctuary hosts migratory giants like the Himalayan griffon, Eurasian griffon, and massive cinereous vulture. These birds travel thousands of kilometres from Tibet, Central Asia and the Himalayas, arriving in Nov and staying until April.DFO Sanjay Raikhere credited the 120 active nests found in the sanctuary to the human-intervention free zone and the perennial water supply from the Chambal.