People love birds. Few have any affection for vultures. Yet vultures play a vital role in the preservation and safety of our environment.
Nature’s garbage collectors, vultures control biological waste by devouring carcasses at lightning speed. Corrosive stomach acid neutralizes virulent pathogens preventing diseases from spreading. Their waste management services are free and eco-friendly.
One million vultures were nearly wiped out in the 1990s by Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory used to treat livestock. The drug was banned in 2006. Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) and Nepal’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) joined with local communities to revive the vulture population..
The setting is Lamichaur, a Buffer Zone of Chitwan National Park. Brainchild of DB Chaudhary, a passionate local, Jatayu Restaurant was the first community-run safe feeding zone for vultures in the world. Sensitive to their negative image, Chaudhary chose Jatayu – Sanskrit for vulture – and Restaurant to appeal to a younger generation.
Deceased livestock are donated by local farmers, checked for vulture-toxic substances, then placed in an open field. The feeding frenzy is swift with no leftovers.
70 wild and 69 captive vultures, numbered and tagged, are monitored regularly. They have begun to pair and GPS data has recorded travel distances of over 200 kms.
The project, replicated in Nepal and beyond, is a boon to the local economy, promoting conservation, eco-tourism and improving the livelihood of its residents. But vultures still face many hazards including, accidental poisoning, electrocution, and food scarcity.
