Did you know this part of Chandigarh?

Chandigarh is known for many things.
Like the Rock Garden.
Its architect Le Corbusier.
Pinjore Gardens.
Sukhna Lake.
Its warm and fun loving people.

But Chandigarh also has India's first Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centre called Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre (JCBC). JCBC is a joint project of Central Zoo Authority, Haryana Forest Department and Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). It is a unique facility created on five acres of forest land on the fringe of Bir Shikargarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Morni Hills of Shivalik ranges of the Himalaya foothills. See the map below.

Reaching the JCBC
Located on the fringe of a wildlife sanctuary, JCBC is not a tourist spot. In fact you need permission to visit the Centre. Despite directions, you can easily miss the turning to the Centre. The route goes along the bank of Kaushalya lake. Who were the visitors? All of us Navy Veterans! Few pictures for you.

Why JCBC?
Vultures are Nature's most efficient scavengers. Vultures help man dispose off the carcasses when their animals die. But sadly the vultures once very common, are nearly extinct in India. 99 percent of the vulture population has died in last 30 years in India. Research led to Diclofenac a veterinary drug administered to cattle for pain relief. If the animal dies within 72 hours of diclofenac dosage, the carcass contains the residue. This residue when consumed by the vultures damages their kidneys and the vultures die. In this way, India has lost more than 99 percent of its vulture population. 

Recognising this ecological disaster, JCBC was set up to breed vultures in captivity.

Vulture Breeding
Why can't vultures breed in their natural environment?  Yes, they can but their reproduction rate is very slow. Consider some of the facts below courtesy JCBC:

• Vultures normally lay a single egg every year.
• Since more than 99% of vulture population had already been lost, reproduction in natural environment would take tens of decades to restore the population
• Although Diclofenac has been banned for animal usage, but its fatal effect on vultures still lingers in some parts of India
• The vultures double clutch within 2-3 weeks if the first clutch is lost during initial period of incubation.
• JCBC takes advantage of this behaviour and the first clutch is removed within 10-15 days of laying. It is then artificially incubated.
• The birds then double clutch in a few weeks.
• The nestling of the first clutch is then swapped for its second egg. The parents accept the nestling readily.
• The second clutch egg is then hatched in  incubator and reared in the nursery.
• This way JCBC could increase the productivity of the parents and fledging success of both the clutches.

Gyps Vultures

BNHS, with the help of the Government of India, State Forest Departments and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, has been successful in the conservation of Gyps Vultures namely Oriental White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus and Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris. Refer BNHS site for more details. See the pictures below, sadly from picture frames and not in the wild!

Vulture Conservation Centres in India

As a precaution against the three species going extinct, BNHS has set-up four breeding centres for Gyps Vultures:

1. Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Pinjore, Haryana
2. Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre, Rajabhatkhawa, West Bengal
3. Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre, Rani, Assam
4. Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Each Centre is equipped with aviaries, surgery and recovery rooms, incubator and brooder facilities, laboratory, food processing room and interpretation centre. Few pictures of JCBC Pinjore.

Here is a short video of the briefing at JCBC by Mr Lalit, Research Team.

So Far

This joint effort has led to successful breeding of the three species. Every year sees new fledglings and by 2019, over 600 vultures had been successfully reared in the four centres. JCBC which we visited, has been able to rear more than 230 vultures. The stage is now set for the captive-bred vultures to be released into the wild.

We wish JCBC, BNHS and other agencies involved in this unique project, all success in their conservation effort. For all of us Navy Veterans, it was an eye opener. We salute the spirit and dedication of Dr Deshmukh and team at JCBC and all other scientists and researchers at all the four centres in India.

We the Navy Veterans had a Reunion in Himachal hills in November 2019. You may browse the previous stories linked below:

Who were these Navy Veterans

Chail Palace- When A Maharaja's Ego was Hurt

Chail Military School- With World's Highest Cricket Ground

More stories of our Reunion will follow:

Stay connected and thanks for browsing

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Neeta Bhargava/ 4th Feb 2020

Postscript 12th March 2020: 
Orchha in MP (Madhya Pradesh India) also has resident population of few Long Billed Vultures who reside in the Chatris and ledges of centuries old palace, forts and temples. Due to an over enthusiastic tourism initiative of MP Govt called 'Namaste Orchha', many of the nests of the resident vultures have been destroyed. Readers may browse a detailed report which highlights the dwindling population of vultures in MP.

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