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Published in Daily Times on January 19, 2016
KARACHI: Baanhn Beli and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) organised a workshop inviting stakeholders to put together a national vulture conservation strategy to catch the years of decline in the species number across Pakistan.
Representatives of the government, NGOs, civil society and academia, as well as national and international delegates attended the workshop and it was organised as part of an ongoing Vulture Conservation Project funded by the USAID Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Program.
IUCN Asia Regional Director Aban Marker Kabraji welcomed the efforts underway for vulture conservation and suggested the government to declare safe zones for vulture conversations and to aim at increasing the numbers of vultures in the country.
She cited examples of others countries where decline in species had been a result of numerous factors and said that in the case of vultures, a certain chemical Diclofenac sodium, was fed to cattle that resulted in the rapid decline in vulture’s numbers. She added that India, Bangladesh and Nepal had arrested the decline by taking measures such as creation of safe zones and putting a ban on Diclofenac sodium. “The population of vultures has crashed from millions to a few hundred thousand in South Asia,” she disclosed. “If the chemical (Diclofenac sodium) is removed from the system, the population can increase. It has already been banned in many countries in South Asia,” she observed. She suggested the central and provincial governments to declare safe zones for vultures and to develop government-led projects where IUCN could assist as a partner.
eputy Inspector General of Climate Change Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani said that in 1990s hundreds of vultures could be seen at any particular site, “Currently nesting sites of the Egyptian and White back vultures are under severe threat facing food scarcity”. He hoped that the National and Regional Recovery Committee would jointly work to save this essential bird that served a major purpose in the ecosystem.
IUCN Asia Natural Resource Group Head Scott Perkin said that the challenge concerning vultures was one of the most neglected ones. “In Pakistan, ground breaking research had been carried out into the role of Diclofenac sodium. It was here in Pakistan, that the experts came to know that the major cause of the Vultures’ decline has been due to the use of Diclofenac,” Dr. Perkin noted. He emphasised the development of vulture safe zones and captive breeding since population of vultures had gone too low. He also strongly recommended the need for strengthening the enforcement of the ban on the Diclofenac.
IUCN Pakistan Country Representative Mahmood Akthar Cheema, on the occasion, appreciated the generous support of the USAID to the project and commended the efforts of Baanhn Beli towards the implementation. He was of the view that the role of vultures could not be ignored for a healthy environment and said that the Vulture is a unique bird that is bestowed with a natural ability to absorb all types of diseases and viruses that are dissolved in its stomach.
Baanhn Beli Director Younus Bhandani thanked the stakeholders and the experts for coming together for information and experience sharing so that a strategy could be augmenting for better results. He informed that Baanhn Beli is also involving the local community and the local government to make this strategy a success.
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