Population levels and productivity of the Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis) in Baitadi District, Nepal

Bhusal, Krishna Prasad; Dangaura, Hiru Lal; McClure, Christopher J. W.

doi:10.1016/j.envc.2021.100318

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…We used a digital elevation map (DEM) in ArcGIS 10.3, to estimate the elevation and aspect of the nests. We followed oft-used methodology (e.g., Benson and McClure 2020, Bhusal et al 2021, McClure et al 2022) to estimate trends in yearly values of the number of occupied nests, number of fledglings, and productivity. We used state-space models under a Bayesian framework, which analyzed counts using the formula: log (N t + 1 ) = log (N t ) + r t , where N t was abundance in a given year, N t + 1 was abundance in the next year, and r t was the growth rate from t to t + 1 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Population and Productivity of the Critically Endangered White-Rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in the Argha Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, Nepal

Bhusal

Joshi²,

Rana³

et al. 2023

Journal of Raptor Research

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The White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) is an accipitrid vulture native to Asia. Once known as the world's most abundant large bird of prey, its population declined dramatically across its range during the 1990s. As a result, it is listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as critically endangered. From 2010 to 2021, we monitored two breeding colonies of White-rumped Vultures in the Argha Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, Arghakhanchi District, in the western mid-hill region of Nepal. We visited the colonies at least three times in each breeding season during November, February, and April and calculated nesting success. We estimated annual trends in number of occupied nests (i.e., nesting activity, egg, nestling, or adult in incubation posture), number of fledglings, and productivity (i.e., young fledged per occupied nest). The number of occupied nests, fledglings, and productivity were analyzed separately using identical models. Although the number of occupied nests appeared to increase, the credible interval of the growth rate (r) overlapped zero (r = 0.05, 95% CRI = −0.06–0.16). The number of fledglings (r = 0.04, 95% CRI = −0.04–0.16) and productivity (r < 0.01, 95% CRI = −0.08–0.09) appeared stable. Our findings are encouraging because they suggest stable population and productivity levels in the two breeding colonies of this critically endangered bird. However, our survey covered a small portion of the global population over a single generation of the species. We recommend coordinated, widespread, and long-term monitoring of vultures across South Asia.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We used vague priors for all parameters (Kéry and Schaub 2012). We considered there to be trends in the number of occupied nests, number of fledglings, or productivity if the 95% credible interval (CRI) of their r parameters excluded zero (Benson and McClure 2020, Bhusal et al 2021, McClure et al 2022).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population and Productivity of the Critically Endangered White-Rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in the Argha Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, Nepal

Bhusal

Joshi²,

Rana³

et al. 2023

Journal of Raptor Research

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“…The Vulture Safe Zone is an integrated approach, which involves advocacy, education, monitoring, research, supplementary feeding, and site protection. Some populations of Gyps vultures in Nepal seem to be recovering as a result of these actions (Galligan et al 2019;Bhusal et al 2021;McClure et al 2022;Bhusal et al 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poisoned baits pose a threat to vultures in Nepal

Bhusal

Chaudhary²,

Rana³

et al. 2023

Nep. J. Zool.

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Poisoning is the greatest threat to vultures globally. Asia’s vultures were driven to near extinction through poisoning by the veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac. Since the ban on the veterinary use of diclofenac in Nepal in 2006, there has been a partial recovery of vulture populations in the country. However, other threats are emerging, including other vulture-toxic NSAIDs, as well as other forms of unintentional poisoning. The use of poison baits, whereby animal carcasses are laced with poison to target carnivores, often results in the collateral deaths of vultures. Here, we summarize the data on the number of such poisoning incidents, and the number of vultures killed, between 2011 and 2023. A total of 224 vultures of seven species were found dead at 22 poisoning incidents across the country. Himalayan griffons accounted for over half of the fatalities (n = 108), along with 93 White-rumped vultures and small numbers of four other species. We recommend that conservationists raise the awareness of this issue with local stakeholders, and try to devise mitigation measures to reduce the threat of poisoning to vulture population.

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“…This drug has been found toxic to this and other Gyps species , particularly exposing immatures -inexperienced foragers-to a high risk, especially when separated from a base population in their wandering grounds (Praveen et al, 2014). A study of the breeding population study in a neighboring country, Nepal (Bhusal et al, 2021), suggests that the absence of nest sites, electrocution, forest fires, and carcass poisoning are the limiting factors for negative growth rates of this species. In view of the conservation perspective, we recommend a special task force should be established to conduct long-term population monitoring studies in the areas where they have been sighted and at breeding sites within the country and adjacent countries, with rescue and rehabilitation centers being set up for immature populations, especially close to migratory and carcass dumping areas.…”

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Notable sighting record of the Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis (Hume, 1869) in the outer western Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India

Kukreti¹,

Nautiyal

2022

Arx. Misc. Zool.

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We report the sighting of a large flock of immature Gyps himalayensis (Hume, 1869) in the Garhwal Himalayas area of the outer Himalayan range. This avian species is classified as near–threatened according to the IUCN Red List. We recommend future surveys and documentation of breeding and juvenile vagrant sites in this area in order to determine population numbers, moult and breeding schedules, and population trends in the area.

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Population levels and productivity of the Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis) in Baitadi District, Nepal

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

Population and Productivity of the Critically Endangered White-Rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in the Argha Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, Nepal

Population and Productivity of the Critically Endangered White-Rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in the Argha Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, Nepal

Poisoned baits pose a threat to vultures in Nepal

Notable sighting record of the Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis (Hume, 1869) in the outer western Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India

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