Archive · 7 Jan 2026
15 Critically Endangered Vultures Released in Melghat Tiger Reserve
Scientists and forest officials released 15 Long-billed Vultures into the Melghat Tiger Reserve.
These vultures are very rare and were raised in a special center in Haryana.
Before releasing them, the birds were kept in a big cage in Melghat to get used to the new environment.
They were also given special tags so scientists can track them.
The vultures face many challenges, like not having enough food and dangerous drugs in the environment.
The officials hope that by releasing these vultures, they can help the species come back to the area.
15 critically endangered Long-billed Vultures were released in the Melghat Tiger Reserve as part of a conservation program.
The vultures were raised at the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre in Pinjore, Haryana, and kept in a pre-release aviary in Melghat to adapt to the local environment.
The birds were fitted with GSM/satellite tags to monitor their movements and survival in the wild.
Challenges such as limited food availability and the threat of harmful veterinary drugs were addressed through feeding stations and partnerships with gaushalas.
The release was led by conservation biologists and forest officials, with the hope of restoring the Long-billed Vulture population, which has declined by 99% due to NSAIDs in cattle carcasses.
- Who
- Conservation biologists and forest officials, including Kishor Rithe, Bhaskar Das, and Vinil Hatwar
- What
- Release of 15 critically endangered Long-billed Vultures into the Melghat Tiger Reserve
- When
- January 2, 2026, following a soft-release process
- Where
- Somthana Range, Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra
- Why
- To restore the population of Long-billed Vultures, which has declined by 99% due to the use of NSAIDs in cattle
- Number of Vultures Released
- 15
- Location of Release
- Somthana Range, Melghat Tiger Reserve
- Source of Vultures
- Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre (VCBC), Pinjore, Haryana
- Release Date
- January 2, 2026
- Monitoring Method
- GSM/satellite tags
- Threat to Vultures
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) in cattle carcasses
- Population Decline
- 99% decline in Long-billed Vulture population
