Rapid Fire
Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary
- 22 Mar 2025
- 1 min read
The rare sighting of the Indian Long-Billed Vulture (Indian Vulture) at Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary underscores the success of protected area-based conservation efforts.
Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary:
- It is situated in the Ramadevara Betta Hill Range in Ramanagara, Karnataka.
- It is India’s first and only vulture sanctuary established in 2012 and notified Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) in 2017 to safeguard endangered vulture species.
- The Sanctuary is home to three of the nine vulture species found in India — the Indian Long-Billed Vulture, Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), and White-Backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis).
Indian Long-Billed Vulture (Gyps indicus):
- It is a medium-sized, bulky scavenger native to Asia (India, Pakistan, and Nepal), primarily feeding on animal carcasses, with females being smaller than males.
- They prefer savannas, open landscapes near villages, cities, and cultivated areas.
- Their population has declined by 97-99% due to poisoning from diclofenac, a veterinary drug once used for livestock.
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
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