Vultures disappear from 72% of historical nesting sites, WII assessment reveals

Vultures have vanished from nearly 72 per cent of their historically known nesting sites across India, a new pan-India assessment by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has revealed.

The study, part of the Pan India Assessment and Monitoring of Endangered Species – Vultures report, recorded the continuous presence of vulture nesting across the country but warned that populations remain in a precarious state. Once vulture populations collapse at a site, natural recolonisation is often slow and uncertain, the scientists noted.

The report represents the first systematic nationwide effort to assess the nesting and status of four Critically Endangered resident breeding vulture species — the white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Indian vulture (Gyps indicus), slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) and red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus).

According to the report, 425 historical vulture nesting sites were documented from literature across 25 states. However, a survey conducted between February 2023 and January 2025 confirmed nesting activity at only 120 of these sites. Researchers also identified 93 new nesting locations, bringing the total to 213, nearly half of which (103) lie within protected areas (PA).

Although the sharp decline in vulture populations appears to have stabilised since 2007, the report cautioned that there is still no sign of a significant recovery in any of the three main species.

White-rumped vultures were reported nesting at 238 sites, followed by Indian vultures at 120, Slender-billed vultures at 47, red-headed vultures at 16, and Himalayan griffons at four sites. Scientists recorded a total of 2,410 nests with active nesting activity in 1994.

The Indian vulture emerged as the most widespread species, found at 110 sites — retaining 86 historical locations and adding 24 new ones. However, it continues to be largely confined to protected areas in central India and has disappeared from 30 per cent of its historically known sites.

The white-rumped vulture, once the most common species with 238 known nesting sites, was recorded at only 69 locations during the survey, 39 of which were new. This means only around 13 per cent of its earlier nesting areas remain in use, with the species disappearing from nearly 90 per cent of historic sites.

The situation is even more alarming for the slender-billed vulture — all 47 previously known nesting sites were lost. The species was found nesting at 12 newly identified sites, with only 20 active nests recorded.

“The red-headed vulture was recorded at five sites during the study; these were all newly identified locations, as no nests were found at the earlier known 10 nesting sites. The Himalayan griffon was found at eight sites, of which four were previously known,” the report said.

Among migratory vultures, the Egyptian Vulture was recorded nesting at 11 newly identified sites, with 24 nests in total (14 active). The Bearded Vulture was found only at one new site with two active nests.

The researchers also examined carcass dumping sites and found the absence of resident vulture species such as the Indian and White-rumped Vultures. Their disappearance from these areas suggests that populations may have declined to such critical levels that they no longer utilise these sites. In contrast, migratory species like the Eurasian Griffon and Egyptian Vulture dominated, aligning with their rising global trends.

“Nesting sites now appear increasingly concentrated in Central and North-western India, particularly in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, where ecological conditions are more favourable with less human disturbances,” the scientists said.

Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan together account for about 63 per cent of vulture nests recorded in India, with over 60 per cent located in PAs.

The loss of nesting sites is especially severe for the slender-billed vulture, which was once widespread across the lower Gangetic plains and the Brahmaputra valley. Despite the ban on toxic drugs such as diclofenac, no nesting activity was found at any of the 47 historically documented sites. “Nesting activity is now entirely restricted to Upper Assam, marking the only remaining known breeding population in the country,” the report said.

Field observations also showed that slender-billed vultures are nesting predominantly on Bombax ceiba (silk cotton) trees — typically the tallest remaining trees with broad canopies in floodplains — making them vulnerable to habitat loss. Deforestation and degradation continue to reduce nesting opportunities across much of the vultures’ range, posing a major threat to sustaining breeding populations.

Another pressing concern identified in the report is the proliferation of feral dogs at carcass dump sites, which directly obstruct vultures’ access to carrion and disrupt feeding behaviour.

“There is an urgent need to integrate carcass management into broader conservation planning to maintain the utility of these sites for threatened and migratory scavengers. This includes regulation of carcass quality (ensuring remains are free of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), exclusion of feral dogs, and routine monitoring of species use and population trends,” the report said. 

Lead author of the study, R Suresh Kumar, said, “This forms a crucial baseline as to just how many nests of each of the vultures currently occurs across their range in India and most importantly where these sites are, underscoring the urgent need for targeted conservation interventions.”