Roots & Shoots Nepal Appeals to Authorities to Save Last Remaining Population of Vultures in Nepal.

Kathmandu, 28^th Feb

After the tragic incident where 14 individuals of rare species of vultures died after consuming poisoned dog carcass, Roots & Shoots, Nepal appeals to the concerned authorities to take immediate action to save the last remaining population of vultures in the country.

On the 25^th of February, a team of conservationists from Roots & Shoots, Nepal visited Anandban VDC of Rupandehi District to investigate the suspicious death of 14 individuals of rare species of vultures.

The team, after investigation, found out that the vultures died after consuming a poisoned dog carcass. “The poison used for killing the dog has a strong lethal toxin that caused immediate on-spot death of the magnificent birds”, reports Mr. Mahesh Sharma, from Roots & Shoots, Nepal. 

“The open import, random distribution and haphazard sales of any category of toxins that come in many forms of pesticides, insecticides, and chemicals for other purpose have been a serious threat to the environment, ecosystem and animals” said Mr. Manoj Gautam of Roots & Shoots, Nepal.

“The case of the poisoned dog and the loss of the vultures is one out of many cases which go under notice of concerned bodies everyday and the government seriously needs to work on bringing a mechanism to check and abate the reckless sales and use of toxins in the country”, Gautam added.

Happy Flight Group, Nawalparasi, established under the umbrella of Roots & Shoots, Nepal in 2005 has been striving for the conservation of the vultures all these years. From 3 nests in the first year to 21 today, the group with its pioneering step of running Vulture Restaurant locally has brought a significant change in the local population of vultures.

 

This is a huge loss for us and has seriously hampered our effort of years, this makes me feel how vulnerable our system is and that there is a long way to go. We are more determined to struggle to achieve what we plan for the vultures but there is a serious role for the government authorities to play, facilitating us in our tireless effort, stated Mr. Dilli Ram Chaudhary, president, Happy Flight Group. Happy Flight Group is the Nawalparasi branch of Roots & Shoots, Nepal committed in Vulture Conservation.

“Vultures being the most seriously declining species of bird, ever, require high conservation priority. With their unique scavenging skills they help to maintain ecological balance, keeping diseases and epidemic outbreaks away. Vultures being magnificent birds yet rare lately have growing tourist attraction. Roots & Shoots, Nepal that runs vulture based eco-trips in the Basa-basahi area of Nawalparasi  has seen a great deal of growing interest of tourists in it which has already started helping the vultures as well as the local people. This holds a great value as currently the country looks upon the Tourist Year 2011. This also makes vultures not only ecologically but also economically important”, stated Mahesh Sharma.

We urge government authorities, all concerned Conservation and animal welfare organizations, activists, animal lovers and individuals from intellectual communities to discourage the open import, random distribution, haphazard sales and reckless use of toxins and to facilitate groups like Roots & Shoots, Nepal in addressing the plight of vultures and several other threatened wildlife species.

For more details contact:

rootsandshootsnepal@gmail.com