Long-billed Vulture Gyps Indicus Research Articles

Sighting of critically-endangered White-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis (J.F. Gmelin, 1788) in Krusadai Island, Rameswaram, India

The most adept scavengers in ecology, vultures, are on the edge of collapse. The Indian subcontinent has nine species of vultures, five of which belong to the genus Gyps and the others are the least impact. The White-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis, Long-billed vulture Gyps indicus, and Slender-billed Gyps tenuirostris vultures were originally and until lately the most numerous variety in India. Nevertheless, during the last ten, the abundance of these vultures has plummeted across the country. The current study reports Gyps bengalensis for the first time sighted in cauldrons on the desolate Krusadai Island, located south of Pamban Island in the Gulf of Mannar. The finding of the cauldron highlights the need for long-term research into the region to locate nesting places and aid conservation and management.

Record of Cinereous Vulture <i>Aegypius monachus</i> from Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India

We report a sighting of Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus from Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, India. The current observations were made during a two month study on ‘Prey status and abundance in Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve’ during February-March 2015. Five species of vulture were recorded during this period: Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus; Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus; Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus; Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus and Cinereous Vulture. This is an additional record of a Cinereous Vulture sighting in the area. We highlight the need to evaluate the historical and current status of vulture populations in the area and assess the threats posed to vultures from unorganized carcass dumping sites in and around the reserve, as the past studies have been limited only to the north-western part of the reserve.

A breeding site record of Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus (Aves: Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) from Bejjur Reserve Forest, Telangana, India

The Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus is, Critically Endangered with few known breeding sites in peninsular India. We present a previously undocumented Long-billed Vulture breeding site in Bejjur Reserve Forest, Adilabad District, northern Telangana.