Not lions, but vultures cause of worry

09-02-2011
Not lions, but vultures cause of worry
Indian Express By Kapil Dave
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Not-lions--but-vultures-cause-of-worry/747829/

The reserved forest is a sanctuary to the surviving Asiatic lion species, but it is the Long Billed Vulture locally known as Girnari Giddh, a critically endangered species, whose concern affects the ropeway project.

Now scattered across Sindh in Pakistan and various parts of India, they are found to be surviving mostly in Gir in Gujarat. Use of dicolfenac in cattle feed is considered one of the main reasons behind their extinction.

In September 2009, environmentalists came around in Junagadh to raise awareness for their survival on the occasion of International Vulture Awareness Day, while constant lobbying by wildlife enthusiasts to protect the bird is on.

Former Gujarat minister of state for environment and forest Kiritsinh Rana, had in reply to a question on February 20, 2009 during Question hour in the Assembly, admitted that the vulture population in Gujarat had reduced from 2,647 in 2005 to 1,431 in 2007.

Incidentally, Gujarat is among the first states in India to ban the use of diclofenac.