At least 100 Himalayan griffons vulture died of suspected poisoning in Assam. The carcasses were found on a paddy field in the Chhaygaon area of Kamrup district, about 45 km west of Guwahati.
- The vultures died after feeding on the poisoned carcass of the goat.
- According to the Vulture Breeding Centre in Rani city of Kamrup district, this was a case of pesticide poisoning due to carbofuran. Sometimes, feral dogs chase cattle and injure them, because of which farmers have to incur losses. Locals spray the carcasses of cattle with pesticide to kill the dogs.
About Himalayan griffon
- A study by the Bombay Natural History Society and other organisations in the 1990s found that the population of the Gyps group — Himalayan griffon, white-backed and slender-billed are among its members — in India and Nepal declined from about 40 million by 99.9% in just two decades.
- The Himalayan griffon is listed as ‘near threatened’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red list. The Himalayan griffon is listed as a migratory species in the state.
