International Vulture Awareness Day 2026

Why in News?

International Vulture Awareness Day 2026 was observed on 6 August 2026 at Panchkula, Haryana, where Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav inaugurated a national-level workshop on “From Crisis to Recovery – Conserving India’s Vultures.” The programme was organised in collaboration with the MoEFCC, Central Zoo Authority (CZA), Haryana Forest & Wildlife Department, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre (JCBC), Pinjore.

About Vultures in India

India is home to nine species of vultures, comprising both resident and migratory species. These include Himalayan Vulture, White-rumped Vulture, Long-billed Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture, Red-headed Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Bearded Vulture and Eurasian Griffon. Among these, Cinereous Vulture and Eurasian Griffon are migratory, while the remaining seven are resident in India.

Vultures play a vital ecological role as highly efficient scavengers. By rapidly consuming animal carcasses, they help in nutrient recycling, waste removal and maintaining ecological balance, making them an important component of natural ecosystem sanitation.

Vulture Decline in India

India witnessed a sharp decline in vulture populations since the 1990s, primarily due to the use of the veterinary painkiller Diclofenac in livestock. Vultures feeding on carcasses of animals treated with Diclofenac suffered kidney failure and mortality, leading to a severe population decline, particularly among Gyps vultures.

Of the nine vulture species found in India, four are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Conservation measures include banning veterinary use of Diclofenac, establishing conservation breeding centres, monitoring populations and developing safe food sources for vultures.

Taxonomic fact: Five of India’s nine vulture species belong to the genus Gyps, while the remaining four are monotypic genera.

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