Hatching of endangered vulture species successfully undertaken

Morni (Haryana), Aug 1 (PTI) Good news for
environmentalists. The first-ever hatching in captivity of
endangered Slender-Billed Vulture nestling has been
successfully undertaken at the Vulture Conservation Breeding
Centre (VCBC) at Pinjore in northern Indian state of Haryana.

Speaking on the occasion of Van Mahotsava here
Saturday, Haryana Forest Minister Kiran Chowdhury said the
nestling was hatched on March 2, 2009, and was now 140 days
old. It was still in the nest and is likely to fledge any day,
she said adding the incubation period recorded was 56 days.

Chowdhury said two pairs had laid eggs and only one
hatched. It was perhaps the most endangered vulture in the
world with less than 1000 birds left in the world, she said.

She said this species was distributed from north of
Indo-Gangetic Plains from Himachal Pradesh to Assam in the
northeast. It had almost disappeared from most parts of the
distribution range and was seen in small numbers only in
Assam.

The Vulture Conservative Breeding Centre had 14 birds
of this species and all had been brought from Assam, she said.

The Minister said the hatching of the Slender-Billed
nestling had given rise to hopes of saving this species from
extinction. The hatching of this endangered species had given
more confidence in the husbandry and care of vultures
practiced at the Centre.

She also thanked the Forest Department of Assam for
giving the Slender-billed vultures for the breeding programme.
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