Sun Gidda (red-headed vulture) and Seto Gidda (Egyptian vulture) which are considered rare in the world have given birth to babies in Jajarkot. The red-headed vulture laid eggs and produced babies in a tree in the Mahadevsthan forest based in Pokhara of Nalgadh municipality-5.
Similarly, the Egyptian vulture hatched chicks at a forest of Kapti of Barekot rural municipality-9, according to Bird Conservation Association central member and veterinary technician Gobinda Bahadur Singh.
The red-headed vulture laid eggs here few years ago, but the hatching was not possible. According to locals, red-headed eagle incubates only once a year.
Deforestation, wildlife and forest encroachment are the seasons behind the loss of its habitats which has pushed it to further extinction. Jajarkot is home to various species of vultures including a highly critical species like red-headed, Egyptian and Bearded vultures, said ornithologist Badri Baral.
Singh said that he as a bird conservationist is elated by the news about the rise of the population of these vultures who fall under the list of endangered species of bird.
The use of diclofenac, a painkiller, in the treatment of cattle is relatively less in the district, and the situation is praiseworthy as the use of this anti-inflammatory drug is a major threat to vultures.
Vultures feeding on carcass of livestock treated with diclofenac suffer a kidney failure and die as the drug deposits on their vital organ.
