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Source: TH
Context:
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) will release six critically endangered vultures—slender-billed (Gyps tenuirostris) and white-rumped (Gyps bengalensis)—into the wild in Assam in January 2026. This is part of India’s ongoing vulture recovery programme, aimed at conserving these species that have faced severe population declines over the past two decades.
Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)
- Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN) with fewer than ~870 mature individuals.
- Habitat: Gangetic plains, Assam, northern Bangladesh, southern Nepal, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Nests on tall trees near human settlements, slaughterhouses, and riverine areas.
- Key Characteristics:
- Dark head, slender narrow bill, long bare neck
- Grey plumage with pale rump; juveniles have white neck down
White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
- Status: Critically Endangered; population declined rapidly due to diclofenac poisoning in livestock carcasses.
- Habitat: Cities, villages, plains, and open fields; nests on large trees or cliffs; often roosts near human habitation.
- Key Characteristics:
- Dark plumage with white neck ruff and distinct white rump patch
- White underwing coverts visible in flight
