Bhopal: On the occasion of International Vulture Day-2025, various awareness activities were held at Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, in collaboration with WWF-India and BNHS. Observed annually on the first Saturday of September, the event aimed to highlight the vital ecological role of vultures and the urgent need for their conservation.
A one-day workshop at Vihar Vithika saw participation from over 30 people. Experts spoke on the dangers of using the drug diclofenac in cattle treatment, a major cause of vulture decline, and emphasized the ecological importance of vultures.
Dr. Ruhi Haq, Assistant Director, Van Vihar, outlined the objectives, while other experts, including Dr. Sangeeta Rajgir and Dr. Hamza Nadeem Farooqui, delivered detailed presentations.
To raise further awareness, a state-level art competition titled “Panni se Pakshi” was announced, inviting participants to create vulture models from plastic waste for display during Wildlife Week 2025. A poster-making competition on “Ecological Services of Vultures” was also held for college students.
Drawing competition for schoolchildren
BNHS conducted a drawing competition for schoolchildren on the vulture theme, with winners awarded. An interactive quiz for tourists at the forest resort tested knowledge on vultures, with prizes for correct answers.
A field guide titled “Vultures of Madhya Pradesh” was launched to aid forest staff in species identification and monitoring. The event was graced by senior officials including PCCF (Wildlife) Shubranjan Sen and WWF Director Dr. Swati Moghe, reinforcing the collaborative commitment to vulture conservation.
