Chengeligaon, Tinsukia, March 13, 2015: The Assam Forest Department decided that nine vultures, who survived poisoning and were rescued from Chengeligaon of Dangori area, under Doomdooma Forest Division (Talap Range), should be released back in to the wild. These raptors were released by the Eastern Assam Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) unit of International Fund for Animal Welfare and Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI) today.

These vultures are victims of carcass poisoning that resulted in death of 31 endangered vultures on March 4, 2015. The surviving vultures were under the observation of Eastern Assam MVS unit led by Dr Samshul Ali with animal keeper, Hemanta Das, at Na-Barmura campus in Saikhowa Forest Range. These scavengers gradually recovered and responded well to the treatment.

M K Dhar, DFO, Tinsukia Wildlife Division said at the awareness meet, “The recovery of the poisoned vultures is a great success of IFAW-WTI MVS team and the Forest Department. I appeal to the villagers that if you find any such case please inform the department as soon as possible. It was a sad incident; we have to learn a lesson from this incident for the conservation of this endangered bird species.”

Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, Regional Head and Head Veterinarian, IFAW-WTI, said, “It is a moment of mixed feeling. We are happy to treat and revive these nine individuals, including the critically endangered white-rumped and slender billed vultures, but are equally concerned about the safety of these individuals once they are released back in to the wild.” He also added that the greatest challenge for the team is to change the mindset of the people so that their release habitat remains free from such incidences hereafter.

The conservationists like Joynal Abedin (Benu) of Dibru Saikhowa Conservation Society , Gunadhar Konwar, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Raj Sonowal of Evergreen Foundation along with senior villagers Dimbeswar Sonowal and Minati Sonowal addressed the gathering on the need of vulture conservation.

It is to be mentioned here that Biswajit Sonowal, a village youth, and his friends helped in rescuing the sick birds from the carcass poisoning incident site on March 4, 2015, which has been appreciated by the forest officials and conservationists.

As the vultures have recovered and are out of danger, it has become the need of the hour to release them back into their habitat. Accordingly, the vultures were set free today in presence of Eastern Assam MVS team along with officials of Assam Forest Department, conservationists and the villagers of Chengeligaon.