National Vulture Conservation Programme: Objectives, Components and Institutional Setup

The National Vulture Conservation Programme is India’s dedicated framework for preventing the extinction of vulture species and restoring their ecological populations. Vultures act as natural scavengers, consuming animal carcasses, preventing the spread of diseases like rabies and anthrax, and maintaining sanitary conditions in rural and forest ecosystems. The sharp decline in Indian vulture populations during the 1990s—primarily driven by the veterinary use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like diclofenac—prompted the Government of India to formulate targeted conservation plans. Managed under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the programme integrates legislative bans, ex-situ breeding initiatives, in-situ habitat protection, and international regional partnerships.

Vulture Species in India and Conservation Status

India is home to nine species of vultures. Five of these belong to the genus Gyps. The steep population decline affected resident Gyps species most severely, wiping out over 99% of their numbers between 1992 and 2007.

Major Causes of Decline and Regulatory Interventions

Veterinary Drug Toxicity

• The veterinary use of Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain and inflammation in livestock, was identified as the primary driver of the crash in vulture numbers.
• When vultures feed on cattle carcasses containing diclofenac, the drug causes visceral gout, acute renal failure, and death within days.
• Other NSAIDs like Aceclofenac, Ketoprofen, and Flunixin also metabolize into diclofenac or show similar toxicity levels in Gyps vultures.
• Meloxicam and Tolfenamic Acid have been identified and promoted as vulture-safe veterinary alternative NSAIDs.

Key Regulatory Measures

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare banned the veterinary use of Diclofenac in 2006.
• The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) restricted the packaging of human-formulation Diclofenac to single-dose 3 ml vials in 2015 to stop its illegal multi-dose veterinary application.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare banned the manufacture, sale, and distribution of Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac for veterinary use in 2023.
• White-rumped, Slender-billed, and Indian Vultures receive the highest level of legal protection under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Action Plan for Vulture Conservation (2020–2025)

The MoEFCC released the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020–2025 to build upon earlier efforts and expand ex-situ and in-situ measures.

Core Components of the Action Plan

• Vulture Safe Zones (VSZs): Establishing VSZs in a 100 km radius around major breeding colonies. These zones are swept clean of toxic NSAIDs through cattle carcass testing and awareness drives.
• Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBCs): Setting up specialized breeding facilities to rear individuals for release into the wild.
• Rescue and Rehabilitation Units: Setting up designated centers equipped with medical facilities to care for injured or poisoned birds.
• Population Monitoring: Conducting periodic national censuses using telemetry, wing-tagging, and satellite tracking to study movement patterns and mortality causes.
• Testing Mechanism: Developing a system to test new veterinary drugs on captive vultures before market release.

Institutional Setup and Breeding Facilities

Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBC)

• The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), in collaboration with state forest departments and MoEFCC, operates major VCBCs across India.
• Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre at Pinjore (Haryana) was established in 2001 as the country’s first dedicated vulture facility.
• Other key VCBCs operate at Rani (Assam), Rajabhatkhawa (West Bengal), and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh).
• Four central zoos—located at Guwahati, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, and Junagadh—manage conservation breeding programs supported by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

Institutional Roles

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC): Provides overall policy direction, funding allocation, and interstate coordination.
• Central Zoo Authority (CZA): Oversees ex-situ breeding standards, financial assistance, and genetic management across zoos.
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) & Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI): Conduct drug toxicity studies and test safe alternative NSAIDs for livestock treatment.
• State Forest Departments: Enforce habitat protection, conduct field surveys, manage local Vulture Safe Zones, and check illegal drug sales.

Key Facts for Quick Revision

• India hosts nine vulture species; four are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• The resident Gyps species (White-rumped, Long-billed, and Slender-billed) lost over 99% of their population between 1992 and 2007.
• Diclofenac toxicity causes visceral gout and kidney failure in vultures feeding on treated cattle carcasses.
• The Government of India banned veterinary Diclofenac in 2006 and banned multi-dose human vials exceeding 3 ml in 2015.
• Veterinary use of Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac was banned in 2023.
• Meloxicam and Tolfenamic Acid serve as tested, vulture-safe alternative NSAIDs for livestock.
• Pinjore in Haryana is home to Asia’s first Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, established in 2001.
• Vulture Safe Zones target a 100 km radius around breeding colonies to eliminate toxic drugs from the food chain.
• All three critically endangered Gyps species are protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The Action Plan for Vulture Conservation (2020–2025) guides current conservation, drug regulation, and reintroduction programs.