Number of vultures up by 22 percent in Pokhara and surrounding areas

GANDAKI: The number of vultures in Pokhara and surrounding areas has surged by 22 percent, according to the latest vulture census.

The census conducted on the occasion of International Vulture Conservation Day revealed the number of the bird known as nature’s scavengers has increased to 471 from 378 in 2023, said Pokhara Birds Society’s Chairperson Manshant Ghimire.

The Society simultaneously conducted a census at eight places (the vulture habitat) and landfill sites in Kaski and Tanahu districts, shared Ghimire.

According to him, the census also found a modest increase in the number of this endangered bird in Tanahu.

The endangered white-rumped vulture was found at the highest number during the census.

Similarly, the number of golden vulture, small grey vulture and dongor vulture also recorded a marginal rise, he informed, lamenting over the decreasing number of Himalayan vulture.

Globally, there are 23 species of vultures, with eight found in Nepal, according to the Society.

The birds of prey are on the verge of extinction due to encroachment in their habitat and habitat loss in recent period.

Other factors such as deforestation, industrial pollution and depletion of water bodies among others are also pushing the birds listed in the critically endangered species to extinction.

Amid these concerns, the gradual rise in the number of vultures has brought cheers to ornithologists, gushed Ghimire, adding that the Society has been conducting vulture census since 2017.