In Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in southern India, a two-day vulture count began on 26 September 2026. The event, timed to coincide with Wildlife Week in Kerala, brought together the efforts of the Forest Department, the World Wide Fund for Nature India, and the Hume Centre for Ecology and Biology.
Vultures play an irreplaceable role in nature: they quickly remove carrion, preventing the accumulation of decomposing remains and reducing the risk of pathogen spread. Their activity promotes the cycling of nutrients, sustaining the health of entire landscapes.
Wayanad is especially important for the conservation of three resident species: the white-rumped vulture, the red-headed vulture, and the Indian vulture. The region is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, home to large mammals that provide food for the birds.
Migratory vultures are also sometimes recorded here — the Himalayan griffon and the cinereous vulture. This underscores the sanctuary's role as part of an extensive area used by different species of these obligate scavengers.
The joint count will help clarify the birds' current distribution and numbers. Such data help in planning measures to protect habitats and food sources under changing environmental conditions.
The organizers emphasize that vultures are not merely "garbage collectors" but a vital link in the ecosystem, whose well-being reflects the state of the entire nature of the region.
Regular monitoring of such species helps to notice changes in time and to make decisions that preserve the balance in the wild.
