25 White-Backed Vultures Released into the Wild in Haryana
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Chandigarh, Dec 17 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, on Tuesday, liberated 25 white-backed vultures into their natural habitat from the Jatayu Conservation Centre, situated close to the Beed Shikargah Wildlife Sanctuary in Pinjore, within the Panchkula district.
During the ceremony marking this significant release, Saini shared that last month, a total of 404 vulture chicks hatched at the centre, which boasts several facilities including eight nursery aviaries, six colony aviaries, eight holding aviaries, two display aviaries, four hospital aviaries, and eight breeding aviaries.
The centre currently hosts 378 vultures.
He emphasized that the government has prioritized the conservation of this endangered species. To further this cause, a dedicated Jatayu conservation and breeding centre was established in Pinjore.
Saini noted that in the 1990s, the vulture population numbered in the crores, but it has since plummeted to lakhs, primarily due to the use of diclofenac injections in livestock.
“The vultures suffered when they ingested carcasses of treated animals, leading to harmful residual effects of the drug, which pushed this species to the brink of extinction,” he explained.
The Chief Minister mentioned that the Bombay Natural History Society has collaborated with the state government to enhance the vulture population in Pinjore through both natural and artificial breeding efforts.
“This centre has now become the largest of its type in the country and even in Asia, currently sheltering 97 white-backed vultures, 219 long-beaked vultures, and 62 thin-beaked vultures,” he stated.
Saini commended the dedication of the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre team and encouraged them to expand their conservation initiatives to include sparrows. He assured them that the government would support such efforts.
The event also featured a short film that highlighted the Pinjore Vulture Reserve and the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Center.
