Status and distribution of Vultures in Gautam Budh Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh, India

Vultures are excellent indicators of the state of a healthy environment and as carrion feeders vultures play an important ecological role. Twenty villages were surveyed in the Sikandrabad and Dadri Forest Ranges of Gautam Budh Nagar districts, Uttar Pradesh. Scanning of dumping sites for dead cattles and carcasses and slaughter houses (either government or private) were done. Informal questions with locals were also conducted. Direct observations were made at feeding and roosting sites to assess the population size and different vulture activities. There are 9 species of vultures in India and six species in the State of Uttar Pradesh are found in the wild. Among this, three species of vultures i.e. White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Indian Vulture Gyps indicus and Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus are reported in this district. Direct sightings of Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus were possible from Surajpur wetland (n=2), Jhajar (n=8) and Bilaspur (n=4) villages of the district Gautam Budh Nagar. This work will establish the region as an important area that harbours vulture species of conservation importance.