GANDAKI, Sept 8: According to the latest vulture census, the number of vultures in Pokhara and its surrounding areas has surged by 22 percent as compared to the vulture population last year.

The census conducted by the Pokhara Bird Society (PBS) on the occasion of International Vulture Conservation Day revealed the number of vultures, known as nature's scavengers, increased to 471 from 378 in 2023. The society simultaneously conducted censuses at eight locations including vulture habitats and landfill sites in Kaski and Tanahun districts. 

According to the president of the society Manshant Ghimire, the census also found a modest increase in the number of the endangered bird in Tanahun. The critically-endangered white-rumped vulture was found to have the highest increase in number during the census. Similarly, the number of golden vulture, small grey vulture and dangar vulture also recorded a modest increase while the number of Himalayan vulture has been observed to have decreased.

Globally, there are 23 species of vultures, with eight found in Nepal. The birds of prey are on the verge of extinction due to encroachment of their habitat and habitat loss in recent times. Other factors including deforestation, industrial pollution and depletion of water bodies are also pushing the birds listed in the critically endangered species to extinction.

“Amid these concerns, the gradual rise in the number of vultures has brought cheers to ornithologists,” said Ghimire. The PBS has been conducting an annual vulture census since 2017.

The government initiated the sectoral Vulture Conservation Action Plan (2023-2027) last year with the goal of restoring and maintaining the viable wild population of vultures in Nepal. In absence of awareness about the dwindling global vulture population, Nepali communities had been poisoning the scavenger bird with carcasses injected with Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. 

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