Oct 13 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Food chain evolving due to Ridge ecology
Vultures, which had practically become extinct in and around Delhi over the past couple of decades, are slowly making a comeback.This year, there have been three sightings of the primary or nominate species of the en dangered Egyptian vulture, a migratory bird for which there is no prior record of sighting near the city.While this comes as good news, the irony is that the primary reason attributed to their return by birders is the easy availability of carcasses. The largest flock of birds seen this year has been at Bhatti mines where a couple of roads divide the forest between Haryana and Delhi. In the absence of a corridor, animals using the road to cross from one side to the other are frequently hit by cars, providing ready food for the birds.
The Neophron percnopterus percnopterus, or the nominate species of the Egyptian vulture, with a dark grey bill, breeds in temperate regions and migrates to the south each year. In March, it was spotted in Dighal in Haryana, followed by two sightings in September, one of a single bird in Ghazipur and a flock of over 20 at Bhatti mines. Surya Prakash, a Delhi birder who was among the few to spot the Bhatti mines flock of Egyptian vultures, says it was a mixed flock that had juveniles and sub-adults. “The bird has been mentioned in Bill Harvey's Atlas of Delhi birds as a rare migrant that can be seen between September and March but of all the records that I checked from the Delhi Birds group and the Oriental Databank on birds, I have only found two other sightings, both of which have taken place this year,“ he said.
The sub-species of the vulture, the yellow beaked Neophron percnopterus gingineanus, are a more common sight in and around Delhi. It is smaller than the grey billed vulture and can be differentiated by the colour of the beak. The third sub-species of the Egyptian vulture has not been re ported from India.
Experts say that the development of Bhatti Mines as a classic example of the Ridge eco-system and the presence of a massive waterbody has seen the evolution of the complete food chain in the region, including presence of scavengers and carnivores like the leopard, jackals and the striped hyena. The vultures too seem to have found the region a suitable habitat.
“We have records of neelgais and other animals being killed in road accidents around Bhatti Mines, providing easy food for scavengers. Thisis a classic case of animals coming in conflict with humans. For them the Ridge is one forest and they cannot distinguish between Delhi and Haryana borders. It is essential to have a dedicated corridor for the animals and also supplementary feeding stations for vultures in Asola and Bhatti,“ said Prakash.
The Neophron percnopterus percnopterus, or the nominate species of the Egyptian vulture, with a dark grey bill, breeds in temperate regions and migrates to the south each year. In March, it was spotted in Dighal in Haryana, followed by two sightings in September, one of a single bird in Ghazipur and a flock of over 20 at Bhatti mines. Surya Prakash, a Delhi birder who was among the few to spot the Bhatti mines flock of Egyptian vultures, says it was a mixed flock that had juveniles and sub-adults. “The bird has been mentioned in Bill Harvey's Atlas of Delhi birds as a rare migrant that can be seen between September and March but of all the records that I checked from the Delhi Birds group and the Oriental Databank on birds, I have only found two other sightings, both of which have taken place this year,“ he said.
The sub-species of the vulture, the yellow beaked Neophron percnopterus gingineanus, are a more common sight in and around Delhi. It is smaller than the grey billed vulture and can be differentiated by the colour of the beak. The third sub-species of the Egyptian vulture has not been re ported from India.
Experts say that the development of Bhatti Mines as a classic example of the Ridge eco-system and the presence of a massive waterbody has seen the evolution of the complete food chain in the region, including presence of scavengers and carnivores like the leopard, jackals and the striped hyena. The vultures too seem to have found the region a suitable habitat.
“We have records of neelgais and other animals being killed in road accidents around Bhatti Mines, providing easy food for scavengers. Thisis a classic case of animals coming in conflict with humans. For them the Ridge is one forest and they cannot distinguish between Delhi and Haryana borders. It is essential to have a dedicated corridor for the animals and also supplementary feeding stations for vultures in Asola and Bhatti,“ said Prakash.
