Hazira (Gujarat): Vultures in the coastal region near Hazira in Surat, have found a firm friend in a project initiated several years ago by the Bird Conservation Society of Gujarat and the Nature Club of Surat run by a member of IFAW-WTI Emergency Relief Network.  Aimed at generating mass awareness on the alarming decline of vultures in India due to diclofenac poisoning, this effort continues today with unfailing determination and small but steady successes.

“We conduct awareness programmes in villages in this area. As a part of this we screen the film ‘Vanishing Vultures’ (dubbed in local language), distribute T-Shirts and a booklet named Chalo Gidh Bachavie”, says Viral Prajapati, Environmental Education Coordinator, Nature Club Surat.

Vultures have been facing a serious problem with ‘diclofenac’ contamination in animal carcasses, which forms the basis of their sustenance. Widespread use of the livestock drug ‘diclofenac’ has been known to be one of the major factors affecting vulture populations in India. The drug, used as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic in cattle, is lethal to vultures when they feed on carcasses of  livestock which received diclofenac before death. Death due to formation of visceral gouts and renal failure has been associated with diclofenac poisoning in vultures.

Manufacture, sale and distribution of ‘diclofenac’ is banned by the Drugs and Cosmetic Act of the Government of India.

The project attempts to support the ban on ‘diclofenac’ in this coastal region by generating awareness among buyers. It also informs people of the availability of ‘Meloxicam’, which is so far known to be harmless to vultures.

“Veterinarians in Surat have been informed about the side effects of diclofenac. Meloxicam has been suggested as an alternative. As Meloxicam is relatively costlier, we have been supplying it to people at subsidised rates,” says Prajapati.

The project additionally runs a feeding site for vultures, this also helps in clearing carcasses of dead animals, preventing disease outbreaks.

“To provide vultures with diclofenac-free food, we started a ‘Vulture Feeding Site’ in Hazira. Local people participate in this venture by supplying us with clean (not contaminated with diclofenac) cattle carcasses to be placed as food for the vultures. About 50-90 vultures regularly visit this site,” says Prajapati.

Apart from these activities, the project also rescues displaced or injured vulture chicks in association with the Gujarat Forest Department. Regular counts have also been carried out to keep a tab on the local population trend.  Volunteers also keep a track on vultures of Mahuva district along with Rajula and Kodinar. So far around 120 birds have been counted.

The activities of the project has seen a positive response from local people, according to the implementers. “Vulture populations over the last two years have been more or less stable in Surat district where our activities are concentrated. One of our most effective activities has perhaps been the awareness campaign, through which we have reached to about 4000 students and at least 1500 other local people. The local people reinforce our initiatives in every way they can, be it providing cattle carcasses for the feeding site or providing information on any displaced or injured individual vulture. We have even received information on injured vultures from young students. We have so far rehabilitated three white rumped vultures. It is heartening to have the support of villagers and local people.”