Vulture Count 2024

Why in news?

• World Wildlife Fund-India (WWF-India) will launch the Vulture Count 2024 program to assess the number of vultures in the country.
• This campaign will run from 7 September to 6 October.
• Its main objective is to count vultures and raise awareness about them.

Vultures

• They play an important role in natural infection control mechanisms.
• Despite feeding on infected carcasses, vultures do not become infected because the acid in their stomachs is powerful enough to kill pathogens.
• They can breathe in extreme environments due to their haemoglobin and special heart structure.

Vultures in India

• 9 species of vultures are found in India –
  1. Oriental White Backed Vulture
  2. Long Billed Vulture
  3. Slender Billed Vulture
  4. Himalayan Vulture
  5. Red Headed Vulture
  6. Egyptian Vulture
  7. Bearded Vulture
  8. Cinereous Vulture
  9. Eurasian Griffon Vulture

Conservation status

• Three species of vultures in India are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. - Bearded, Long Billed and Oriental White Backed.
• The other 6 species are protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act. - Cinereous, Eurasian Griffon, Himalayan, Red Headed, Egyptian Native and Slender Billed.