Quick Glance
- Over 100 critically endangered White-Rumped Vultures were spotted on April 2, 2025, near Dudhwa Forest in Uttar Pradesh — a sight not seen in at least 20 years.
- Once numbering in the millions, India’s vulture populations declined by over 99.7% due to the veterinary drug Diclofenac, which caused fatal kidney failure.
- India banned Diclofenac in 2006 and launched major recovery programs to support vulture survival and reproduction.
- Uttar Pradesh has shown encouraging signs of vulture population growth, with the 2024 census recording 52 vultures near Dudhwa and the latest sighting nearly doubling that number.
- Madhya Pradesh currently holds the highest vulture population in India (12,981), while states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat have also reported promising increases.
It was a sight not seen in at least 20 years — a gathering of over 100 White-rumped Vultures spotted on April 2, 2025, feeding on a carcass near the Dudhwa Forest in Uttar Pradesh. With 99.7% of the vulture population wiped out just a decade ago, this rare sighting filled many hearts with hope for the return of these vital scavengers of the natural world.
Poisoned Bite
In the 1980s, White-rumped Vultures were estimated to be in millions, making them one of the most abundant birds on the planet. However, between 1992 and 2007 White-rumped and all other species of vultures suffered a catastrophic decline due to poisoning from the veterinary drug Diclofenac. Consumption of cattle carcasses laced with the anti-inflammatory drug caused instant kidney failure in vultures.
After India banned the use of the drug in 2006, the movement to save vultures gained momentum but it was an arduous task to pull them back from the brink of extinction.
The government and non-profit organisations like the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) began massive educational campaigns to enforce the ban of Diclofenac across India. It was and still remains a mammoth challenge given the widespread use of the drug among farmers.
Vulture breeding centres, vulture safe zones, and “vulture restaurants” — where meat was regularly provided for the birds — were among the key initiatives launched. The hope was that with a steady food supply, safe habitats, a boost to breeding, and a ban on the harmful drug, the vultures would make a comeback.
Even if the numbers today are not in millions, the few hundreds that are being sighted in North, South and East India, do give a sign that the efforts are starting to bear fruit.
The Growing Numbers in UP
Speaking to TOI about the latest sightings, Sanjay Biswal, Divisional Forest Officer (South Kheri) of Uttar Pradesh said, “Vultures have been coming to the area over the past three years, but the numbers this year are particularly encouraging. During the Vulture Census in Aug 2024, we counted 52 vultures in the Social Forestry Range outside Dudhwa Forest. This time, the numbers have nearly doubled and most of them White-rumped vultures, rarely seen in such large numbers, and usually remain deep within forested areas.”
Of the nine species found in India, Uttar Pradesh has six, as observed during a 2010–2011 survey:
- Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) – 45.9%
- Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) – 25.4%
- Indian Vulture (Long-billed Vulture) (Gyps indicus) – 16.8%
- White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) – 10.3%
- Red-headed Vulture (King Vulture) (Sarcogyps calvus) – 0.8%
- Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis) – 0.7%
During this survey, out of 1,993 adult vultures counted, approximately 205 were White-rumped Vultures. Later studies indicate that between 2011 and 2020, vulture populations in Uttar Pradesh experienced growth rates ranging from 11% to 18%, varying by species.
Vultures in The Rest of India
As of the 2025 vulture census, Madhya Pradesh has the highest vulture population in India, with a total of 12,981 individuals. This marks an increase from 10,845 vultures recorded in 2024 and 8,397 in 2019. The state’s dedicated conservation efforts, including systematic censuses across 16 circles, 64 divisions, and 9 protected areas, have significantly contributed to this growth.
In southern India, a synchronized vulture census conducted in December 2023 across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala reported a total of 320 vultures, up from 246 in the previous count. Notably, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala saw its vulture population more than double from 53 in 2024 to 113 in 2025. In Tamil Nadu, the White-rumped Vulture population grew from 210 individuals in 2024 to 288 in 2025.
Between 2018 and 2023, the population of Indian vultures (long-billed vultures) in Gujarat increased by 27.4%, from 285 to 363 individuals.
The Road Ahead
While the numbers are still modest compared to historical figures, these early signs of recovery bring cautious optimism. Continued vigilance, community participation, and stronger enforcement of the Diclofenac ban remain essential. As India’s forests once again echo with the silhouettes of these majestic scavengers, the hope is that with sustained effort, vultures will not just survive — but thrive again in the skies they once dominated.
Vulture Image via cc/Flickr
Featured image Ai art for representation purpose only
