12 endangered himalayan vultures rescued across Bangladesh
According to the Forest Department’s Wildlife Crime Control Unit, four of the vultures were recently recovered from various locations in Feni district.
The Forest Department has rescued 12 endangered Himalayan Griffon Vultures from different parts of Bangladesh over the past month, saving the giant birds from certain death and rehabilitating them for release into the wild.
According to the Forest Department's Wildlife Crime Control Unit, four of the vultures were recently recovered from various locations in Feni district.
The rescued birds were sent to the IUCN-run Rema-Kalenga Vulture Rehabilitation Centre in Habiganj for treatment and care, Wildlife Crime Control Unit's Inspector Abdullah Al Sadik told The Business Standard.
Earlier, two vultures were rescued from Sonagazi in Feni, two more were recovered from Gashuram.
In addition, rescue operations this month were carried out in several districts, including Gaibandha, Jhenaidah, Cumilla, and Chattogram, bringing the total number of rescued vultures to 12.
Forest officials said each vulture weighs about 10-12kg and stands 5-6 feet tall.
While vultures are nearly extinct in Bangladesh due to environmental degradation and food shortages, the recently rescued birds are Himalayan migrants arriving from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet during winter.
Currently, three IUCN-operated vulture rehabilitation centers are functioning in Bangladesh – located in Dinajpur, Savar, and Rema-Kalenga, Habiganj.
