The efforts to conserve vultures in Punjab have proved ineffective as two of the three “vulture restaurants” have shut down and the remaining feeding station is unable to secure enough diclofenac-free healthy meat for the endangered species. “Vulture restaurants at Kathlore and Charmaur have already been closed. The one at Chandola is struggling to get healthy feed for vultures,” said Kartar Singh, a former member of Punjab forest and wildlife department.He said govt’s efforts to increase the vulture population was “half-hearted”.
The feeding stations, set up around 12 years ago, were meant to serve vultures from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, but their arrivals are on the wane, observers claimed.
For want of funds, the department can’t buy carcasses or other healthy meat and relies on free supplies from forest rangers. “They keep an eye on dead animals and collect these from a contractor who is paid some amount per carcass,” said a source.
The feeding stations, set up around 12 years ago, were meant to serve vultures from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, but their arrivals are on the wane, observers claimed.
For want of funds, the department can’t buy carcasses or other healthy meat and relies on free supplies from forest rangers. “They keep an eye on dead animals and collect these from a contractor who is paid some amount per carcass,” said a source.
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