A Report on Vulture Conservation Program Nawalparasi

A Report on

Vulture Conservation Program, Basa Bashai Nawalparasi

10-16 June, 2008

Report Prepared By:

Mahesh Sharma,

Roots & Shoots Nepal

Executive Summary: Roots & Shoots Nepal led a Vulture Conservation Program at, Basa Bashai of Nawalparasi district since 2006. A local club which later merged as a Roots & Shoots group and named “Happy Flight Group” is currently working for conserving last remaining population of vultures in Nepal. We established a vulture restaurant in Tilakpur V.D.C of Basa Bashai, Nawalparsi-nearly 230km west from Kathmandu. In Vulture Restaurant the endangered scavenger birds (vultures) can find plentiful and healthy carcass which is free from Diclofenac (a veterinary drugs liable for declining vulture population) Roots & Nepal has initiated its program for the replacement of Diclofenac through Meloxicam (an alternative drug which cause no harm on vulture). Long term monitoring of vulture population in wild, conducting conservation awareness program through meetings, workshop and interaction are some other strategies adopted for conserving the last remaining species of vultures. Trainings were provided to local Roots & Shoots group for collecting data, monitoring vulture nest and roosting sites and techniques of estimating vulture population. Today with the active participation of the locals group some progressive changes have been made in conserving vultures. There are some positive indicators such as the total number of vulture nests in Basanta Community Forest has been increased from three to seven comparing to the last year nest count. But still there are some challenges ahead which need to be addressed from policy level. For example Diclofenac has been illegally supplied through Indian boarder and vulture habitat has been destroyed in fast rate.

Introduction: Of 22 species of vultures in the world, in Nepal we can find eight species. In Nawalparasi there are records of seven species found, but their population is decreasing in frightening rate. Evidences had shown that vultures are ranked at the top among other declining species. Three species of vultures from South Asia i.e. Indian white backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Long billed vulture (Gyps indicus), and Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) had already been listed in the IUCN Red Data Book. From 1990’s to till now research had shown that about 98% of the total populations of these three species of vultures were already lost. In South East Asia the status of vultures population are in a very fragile condition and in some other places these three species of vultures were already extinct. In Nepal the scenario is also serious.

Some major threats to vultures:

Diclofenac Poisoning: The reason behind the steep decline in the vulture populations is due to Diclofenac, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with anti-inflammatory and pain killing actions. Diclofenac administration keeps animals that are ill or in pain working on the land for longer, but, if the ill animals die, their carcasses contain diclofenac. Farmers leave the dead animals out in the open, relying on vultures to tidy up. Diclofenac present in carcass flesh is eaten by vultures, which are sensitive to diclofenac, and they suffer kidney failure, visceral gout, and death as a result of diclofenac poisoning.

Lack of adequate food supply:

While looking at the past scenario of Nepal, agriculture was the primary means of survival for people in the villages of Nepal. Traditional farmers used to kept bulls and buffalo in their farm to till the fields and cows to produce dairy products. When the farm animals died, the farmers relied on vultures to dispose of the remains. In recent decades, however, many Nepalese people have left to keep livestock. Urbanization has caused decrease in cattle and buffalo populations and consequently left many vultures starving.

Habitat destruction and Illegal persecution or hunting:

The nesting and roosting trees of vultures were felled either for copmmercial purpose or for huiman needs.In the context of nepal hunting is not a serious problem.People sometimes disturb vulture by taking off egs from vulture nest and by throwing stones to vultures.Some children use catapult and try to disturb vulture.There were only few examples of such cases. Though this may not be the intense problem for this days but in future it can cause problems.

Realizing the intensity of extinction of the vulture population, Roots and Nepal organized a week program from 10th to 16th of July 2008 at Basa Bashai, Nawalparasi where a local roots and shoots “Happy Flight Group” are actively working there for the conservation and protection of endangered species of vulture since 2006. The major objectives of the program is to conduct an interaction program and to define the roles of different related bodies in the long term conservation of vulture population.

Program Overview:

Meeting With the locals:

On 11th June 2008 meeting was held with the local Roots and Shoots Happy Flight

Group Nawalparasi at about 8o’clock ion the morning.

In meeting local group briefly explained on how far work has been carried out and what sort of complications they had to face out while carrying out vulture consevation activities.

Roots and Shoot, Nepal distributed 19 t-shirt to the local members and other 15

t-shirt will be sent within Ashad 30th.

A hoarding board which display the “Vulture Protected Area” message has been handed to the local group. The Board is of 8×5 feet in more specific it display the message regarding the importance of vulture and soime simple measures to be adopted for the conservation of vultures. The board is in Nepali language because every local people and other can easily read and get information.The board will be fixed at the side of the Highway at Basa Bashai.

600 posters which display conservation message of vultures were handed to the local group.Posters were of 17×23" and were printed in Nepali language. The posters will be either distributed of posted in the local vet shops, government office, NGO and in public places.

For the photo documentation and collection of site specific data a digital camera will be sent to the local group within deadline of 30th Ashad.

Vulture Restaurant Site Monitoring: On 11th of June at about 9 o’clock at the morning we went at Vulture Restaurant site with the local roots and shoots group. The Vulture Restaurant station is located at Basa Bashai of Nawalparasi-nearly 1 km west from highway.We saw a buffalo carcass kept inside the restaurant, we were informed that the buffalo was found dead in farmer house 3 km away from the restaurant site.Local group transported carcass by using bull cart. We saw only one vulture scavenging on carcass and many vultures were resting on the nearby trees. A Simal tree (vulture prefer this tree for nesting and roosting) which was located at the bank of the Harkatta River had been recently been fell down.The tree was just on the other side of the vulture resturant. Next day early in the morning we again went at the site to count the vulture population. This time we were lucky to observe more than 30 vultures scavenging upon the same carcass. Out of eight species of vulture found in Nepal there we saw five species in that flock.

Vulture Nest Monitoring: On 11th of June we went at the Basant Community Forest at

Tilakpur V.D.C of Nawalparasi for vulture nest monitoring. We preceded a jungle walk for two hours and observe the vulture

nest inside the forest. We were lucky to see altogether 7 nest of the Vulture. Saaj (Terminalia alata) was found to be the dominant trees for nesting . Tree gear was used to climb over one of those trees where nest is built. The nest was bulit nearly at the height of 30 feet. By climbing up the tree the nest was observed but there were no any eggs or juvenile vulture. The nest was of occupied type.

Documentary Show: Every night documentary

was shown in the local Tharu village. There was participation from all strata of people including children, women, youths and older people as

well. Documentary show was all about the conservation aspects of animal and birds. This

documentary show made a positive outcome in the village.Tharu communities people now show a kind of

stewardship towards a nature and by realizing the needs of conservation today they are working for the conservation of wild animals. The other interesting aspect is even one local hunter has lowered down his rifle and is now working for conservation of vultures and other wild animals.

1. One Day Interaction Program

On 14th June 25, 2008 One Day Interaction Programme was conducted by Roots & Shoots Nawalparasi at Basanta Secondary School, Bashai. The program was about strategy development and the role of concerned bodies in the conservation and the protection of vultures.

Invitation letters were sent to different bodies of Nawalparasi including District Forest Office, Community Forest Group, V.D.C, local Vetenerians ,related NGO’s,local youth group, local club, local leaders and other interested individuals. 80 people were participated in that program.

The program was run for 5 hours and during the program Manoj Gautam from Roots and shoots Nepal briefly explained about the power point presentation regarding the importance of vultures, challenges in conservation and the integrative role of different bodies in conservation.

Representative from the different government bodies and from local club,school principal,V.D.C representative and high class officers show a committ6ment to support the ongoing activities of Roots and Shoots Nawalpari regarding the conservation and protection of last remaining poipulation of vultures.

Discussion was carried out on the following topics:

1. Use of Diclofenac in the local area. 2. Logging of Simal Tree (vulture prefer roosting and nesting) in local area. 3. Tender on dead livestock’s skin contract.

In Nawalparasi people now people are more concerned about the conservation of animals and birds. The use of Diclofenac has been reduced to greater extent. Because of the unrestricted boarder and easy access to Indian boarder some people are doing illegal

business of diclofenac. To control this kind of activities a monitoring team will be formed which will investigates in that area.

Recently we found a Simal tree (habitat for vulture) felled down which was located on the bank of Harkatta River. Nepal government has banned on felling simal trees which is falls under the communal property. To discourage such type of illegal activities local roots & shoots group of Nawalparasi will raise an issue in District Forest Office at Nawalparasi to take action against those law breakers.

The contract of carcass is the most priotritized issue for the sustainability of vulture restaurant. In Nawalparasi there is carcass contract system. (A contract where responsible body is only allowed to take of skin off from the dead livestock.). This topics was also discussed in the interaction program and we focused on getting that contract for local group.We got positive response from the all participant. Local group will properly manage and dispose off the carcass so

there will be chances of spreading disease like anthrax, rabies and plague. The secretary of the V.D.C also show a positive response regarding this issue and he had shown commitment that he will best try to made a contract available for the local roots and shoots group.

Eco Tourism Promotion

Nawalparsi can be considered as the potential area form the tourism point of view. The local tharu culture,unique culture of the indegineous group, camping,fishimg.swimming, site visiting and bird watching, study of behaviour of vultures, jungle walk,nesting and roosting site visiting of vulture are some of the highlights of this area. If managed in proper awy this could be one of the most potential ways to uplift the economic condition of the local community.

Conclusion:

A week program was successfully completed in Basa Bashai at Nawalparasi. For the conservation of last remaining population of vulture in Nepal local Roots & Shoots groups are actively working. We can conclude some progressive changes were made regarding the banning of Dioclofenac, and the locals were much more aware of this issues. A participation from the wide range of people will also show that people show concerned towards conserving vultures.

We found the numbers of vulture population has been increased in the Nawalparasi area as compare to the last year vulture population. The nest of the vulture within the vicinity of the vulture resturant has also been increased from three to seven this year.In overall we can conclude with the following thing.

Regular support is needed from all the related bodies for the long term conservation of vulture proigram.

The concept of eco tourism should be promoted in near future to uplift the econimic condition of the local people.

Awareness program will be conducted in regular basis and local youths will take initiation for organizing mass level awareness program.

Local group will collect all the data and monitoring the site on regular basis.