Open AccessStatus of Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) in Bundelkhand Region, India
Author(s) -
Sinha Ankit,
Preeti Gupta,
Adesh Kumar,
Amita Kanaujia
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of zoological investigations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2454-3055
DOI - 10.33745/ijzi.2021.v07i02.002
Subject(s) - vulture , geography , habitat , ecology , iucn red list , population , habitat destruction , carrion , transect , fishery , biology , demography , sociology
Vultures are excellent indicators of environmental health and as carrion feeders play an importantecological role. They are the only known vertebrate obligate scavengers. Nine different species of old world vulturesare found in India. Red-headed Vulture (RHV) is one of the resident vulture species and is found throughout thecountry up to 2000 m elevation. This study was carried out in two states of India, Uttar Pradesh and MadhyaPradesh known as Bundelkhand. The grids of 15x15 sq km and random points were laid over the study area.Transects of 10 km were conducted in all the selected grids. As a result, 46, 54 and 74 vultures were recorded from2017 to 2019, respectively. There was a continuous rise in the RHV population during the study period, which is agood sign for the species. Along with other vulture species, RHV is also facing serious threats. Biotic and abioticthreats such as habitat loss, predation, hunting and disturbance, scarcity of food and water, change in land use andagricultural practices, poisoning and, mortality in road accidents while feeding. The population trend is showingpositive signs but only regular monitoring and conservation activities will help in saving the species.