Population monitoring and annual population fluctuation of migratory and resident species of vultures in and around Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Abstract

Vultures are important scavengers that play a vital role in clearing animal carcasses and municipal dumps. In the past decade, a sharp decline has been observed in vulture population. For the present work, Jodhpur district of Thar Desert, India, the natural habitat of resident and migratory species of vultures, was investigated. Intensive surveys of the study area were undertaken from 2007 to 2015 to determine the annual population fluctuations in various vulture species in and around Jodhpur (26°19′N and 73°08′E). The data obtained regarding the population fluctuation of different vultures species in the study area are of great significance. Comparative analysis of data obtained with regard to the population dynamics of the various species of vultures in this region has suggested that there has been a drastic decline in the population of migratory as well as resident vulture species in this region. A comparative study suggests that the population of migratory species has reached very low relative abundance in 2015 as compared to 2007. Neophron percnopterus has the highest and Gyps bengalensis has the lowest population during the entire 9-year study. The finding suggests that the reason for this population fluctuation is climate change as well as change in temperature fluctuation over a period of time, particularly during the breeding season.