HIMALAYAN VULTURES BRED IN CAPTIVITY

Captive breeding of birds and  animals in zoos is a regular exercise to increase the number of certain species and prevent extinction of some. But captive breeding of Himalayan vultures in the Guwahati Zoo was news for more than one reason.

This is for the first time in India and second in the world the rare bird was bred in captivity. Secondly, the large old world bird dwells and breeds in snow in the Himalayas. For it to live and breed in a tropical climate is a novelty and needed long months of adoption. Thirdly it was done in a high-tech way taking all precautions.

Fourthly, it is one of the two largest Old- World vultures and true raptors listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

“During first month, the nestling was kept in the brooder made up of a plastic box and temperature was maintained around 30-35°C with a lamp, a water bowl and it was monitored with a thermo-hygrometer. The nestling was provided with sufficient space to move towards and away from the heat source.

Sachin Ranade, lead author of the publication, said that the Himalayan vultures successfully bred at the zoo were rescued in 2011-2012 from different poisonings and accidents in Assam. Mr. Ranade, who is also in charge of the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre (VCBC) at  Rani in Assam, said that the conservation breeding of the Himalayan vulture at the Guwahati Zoo is the second such instance in the world, after France, where the species has been bred in captivity.