Uttar Pradesh set to see world's first conservation, breeding centre for Asian king vultures

The world’s first conservation and breeding centre for the critically endangered Asian king vulture is all set to open in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj district. The centre is called Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre (JCBC), which has been built and designed exclusively for the conservation of Asian king vulture. If reports are to go by, it will be inaugurated anytime soon by the UP Chief Minister.

Asian king vulture is critically endangered and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act. The conservation centre is spread across 1.5 hectares in the Gorakhpur forest division, and is a state-of-the-art centre. Reports have it that it has got an investment of around INR 15 crore, and features multiple aviaries for vultures, like holding and breeding aviaries, recovery and hospital aviaries, nursery aviaries for juveniles, and more. Then, there is also a food processing centre, where food for vultures will be checked and prepared before being fed to them, and there is also an incubation centre to rear eggs artificially to ensure 100% results are other features.
The primary objective behind setting up such a centre is to breed the king vultures in captivity and release them in the wild to maintain a sustainable population of the species. Reportedly, it’s a 15-year project which aims to raise at least 40 vultures.

The red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), also known as the Asian king vulture, is found primarily in northern India. In 2004, the species was listed as ‘near threatened’, whereas in 2007, it was listed as ‘critically endangered’ in the IUCN Red List. If reports are to go by, the widespread use of the NSAID diclofenac in veterinary medicine in India has been the cause of its population decline in recent years. As of now, veterinary usage of diclofenac has been banned in India.