The World's First Asian King Vulture Breeding Program Aims to Reverse Population Collapse

Uttar Pradesh is making a groundbreaking effort to save the critically endangered Asian King Vulture with the world's first conservation and breeding center of its kind. Set in the picturesque Maharajganj district, the Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre (JCBC) is a cutting-edge facility that aims to protect and revive the dwindling population of these majestic birds by breeding them in captivity and releasing them back into their natural habitat. The JCBC is spread over 1.5 hectares and includes several aviaries, such as breeding and holding aviaries, nursery aviaries for juveniles, hospital and recovery aviaries, a food processing center, and an incubation center. The center, valued at approximately Rs 15 crore, is a state-of-the-art facility that will provide a safe environment for the vultures to thrive. The Asian King Vulture has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since 2007 due to the widespread use of diclofenac in veterinary medicine in India. This has led to a population collapse in recent years. The JCBC aims to breed at least 40 vultures in captivity over 15 years to ensure the sustainable conservation of the species. Veterinary usage of diclofenac has since been banned in India to prevent further population decline. The first phase of the project included the construction of the center's infrastructure in 2021. The project's second phase entails breeding vultures, and the facility will initially have ten vultures available for breeding. The Bombay Natural History Society has joined with the forest department to provide technical guidance. A male vulture may be captured from the wild and brought to the JCBC for breeding reasons because they are known to be better at caring for the chicks. The establishment of the JCBC is a major milestone for the conservation of the Asian King Vulture. With the center's state-of-the-art facilities and technical guidance from experts, the JCBC is poised to become a global model for conservation and breeding centers. This is great news for the conservation of the Asian King Vulture and a step forward in preserving our planet's biodiversity.