Mass mortality of vultures in Nepal owing to poison bait
Sun, Apr 25 2021 11:46:58 AM
New Delhi, Apr 25 (IANS): In a significant blow to vulture conservation, a mass vulture mortality owing to the poison bait incident was reported in Nepal, severely impacting the population of the critically endangered species in the wild, ornithologists said on Sunday.
At least 69 vultures died in farmland of the terai last week, said SAVE (Saving Asia s Vulture from Extinction), a consortium of 24 partners.
Apparently local villagers illegally used poison to kill stray dogs, and these dog carcasses were then eaten by the vultures, killing them.
The incident was reported 50 km west from the main vulture release site in Nawalparasi district, prompted a quick response with officials from the Municipality, police, division forest, livestock and veterinary office, NTNC and Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) reaching the scene within hours of the alarm being raised.