Ooty: The disappearance of nesting sites of vulture population in Siriyoor jungles in Moyar Valley has become a cause of concern. S. Bharathidasan, secretary of Arulagam, said that his organisation which is working for the cause of vulture conservation, found good numbers of nesting sites in Siriyoor during 2011-12.
Admitting that in the recent times the vulture population has moved away from Siriyoor habitat, he said that since more number of vulture nesting sites are being spotted in the adjacent Ebbanad slopes and even in Thengu marahada woods, it is only concluded that the vulture colony from Siriyoor limits have moved to these new locations. “We are keepinga watch on this new development,” he added.
However, Dr B. Ramakrishnan, assistant professor of Zoology and Wildlife Biology at Government Arts College in Ooty, said that sudden behavior of the vulture population shunning the Siriyoor jungles needs to be studied in detail to take corrective steps to attract the birds back to Siriyoor.
“Human interference in Siriyoor jungles, as a human settlement and famed jungle temple are located near the nesting sites, might be the reason for this vulture population to vacate the area. There may be other factors or combination of eco-biological factors that led to the vulture population avoiding the Siriyoor woods.
But, it doesn't mean that their population in Siriyoor was wiped out. The migrated population will be safe deep inside the jungles. The emergence of newnesting sites in Ebbanad slopes vindicated that the vultures from Siriyoor woods moved to Ebbanad woods,” he elucidated.
M. Kumaravelu, field officer at CPR Environmental Education Centrehere, said that that veterinary analgesic ‘diclofenac’ was found to be the major threat to vulture population as ‘diclofenac’ residues in cattle carcass was said to be the reason behind the decline in vulture population, which exclusively feed on putrefying carcass. Now, after the ban on veterinary ‘diclofenac’, the threat from this toxicological factor has come down.
However, the vultures in Moyar valley jungles hardly come out for prey as they get good prey base well inside the jungles, he underscored.
