Union Environment Minister leads International Vulture Awareness Day 2026 celebrations and inaugurates National Workshop themed ‘From Crisis to Recovery – Conserving India’s Vultures’, at Panchkula

International Vulture Awareness Day 2026, celebrated on September 6 at Panchkula, Haryana, marks a significant milestone in India's remarkable conservation journey from crisis to recovery. The event, inaugurated by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, brought together a constellation of stakeholders including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Central Zoo Authority (CZA), Haryana Forest & Wildlife Department, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), and the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre (JCBC) Pinjore. This collaborative framework exemplifies the 'Whole of Government' and 'Whole of Society' approach emphasized by the Minister, reflecting a mature conservation governance model under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. The historical context is crucial: India's vulture populations suffered a catastrophic decline of over 97% since the 1990s, primarily due to the veterinary use of diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administered to livestock. When vultures consumed carcasses of treated animals, they suffered fatal renal failure. This ecological disaster triggered a cascade of consequences - accumulation of carcasses led to proliferation of feral dogs and increased rabies incidence, disrupting the ecosystem's natural sanitation system. The crisis prompted the Government of India to ban veterinary diclofenac in 2006 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, followed by restrictions on other toxic NSAIDs like ketoprofen and aceclofenac. The Vulture Action Plan 2020-2025, launched by MoEFCC, provided a structured roadmap for recovery. The JCBC Pinjore, a collaborative initiative between Haryana Forest Department and BNHS established in 2001, has emerged as the cornerstone of India's ex-situ conservation breeding program. During 2025-26, it housed 356 vultures across three critically endangered resident species - White-rumped (Gyps bengalensis), Long-billed (Gyps indicus), and Slender-billed (Gyps tenuirostris) - successfully breeding 35 chicks, releasing 87 for reintroduction, and transferring 90 birds to other conservation breeding institutions. The centre's training of 1,222 participants from 22 institutions demonstrates its role as a capacity-building hub. India hosts nine vulture species, including resident and migratory populations: the three critically endangered Gyps species, Red-headed (Sarcogyps calvus), Egyptian (Neophron percnopterus), Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis), Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus), Cinereous (Aegypius monachus), and Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus). Constitutionally, vulture conservation finds mandate under Article 48A (Directive Principle for environmental protection) and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty to protect wildlife). The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, amended in 2022, provides legal protection with all nine species listed under various schedules. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and India's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) further reinforce this framework. The release of the coffee table book 'Story of Jatayu: Saving India's Vulture' symbolically connects cultural heritage - Jatayu from the Ramayana - with modern conservation science. The significance extends beyond species preservation. Vultures provide ecosystem services valued at millions of dollars annually through carcass disposal, nutrient cycling, and disease regulation. Their recovery supports the 'One Health' approach linking human, animal, and environmental health. The Minister's emphasis on Vulture Safe Zones, safe veterinary practices, and community participation reflects an integrated landscape-level strategy. Future implications include scaling up reintroduction programs, expanding Vulture Safe Zones across states, phasing out remaining toxic NSAIDs, and strengthening transboundary cooperation for migratory species under CMS. This success story positions India as a global leader in species recovery, offering a replicable model for conservation of other threatened scavengers worldwide.