The Shishuwa Bhateri area in Byas Municipality of Tanahun district has recently turned into a thriving home for vultures.

In the past few years, several species of vultures have been spotted in the area after Byas Municipality set up a Gaushala, a shelter cum conservation area for stray and ageing cows, on the bank of the Madi river.

The Gaushala was set up five years ago to manage stray quadruped animals. The municipality built the centre to manage the stray cattle that had been damaging crops, disrupting traffic, causing accidents, and littering market areas. Over time, this conservation centre has turned into a sanctuary for vultures.

“Old and diseased cows and other animals often die and this attracts vultures, which feed on the carcasses. More than 200 vultures of various species gather in the Shishuwa Bhateri area on a single day when an animal dies,” said Tulsiram Sapkota, former chairman of ward 10 of Byas Municipality. According to him, vultures can be seen either feeding on carcasses or resting in the meadows and tall trees in the forest across the Madi river.

The cow conservation area, which spreads across about 200 ropani (10.17 hectares) of land, currently houses 116 cows and oxen.

Shishuwa Bhateri lies in ward 10 of Byas Municipality, around six kilometres from Damauli, the district headquarters of Tanahun. According to conservationists, the area offers a suitable habitat for vultures as there is the Madi river on the western side and a forest with tall trees including Simal (Kapok), just across the river.

According to Tulsiram, different species of vulture are frequently sighted in the Shishuwa Bhateri area. “The area has unexpectedly become a hub for vulture conservation and research after the Gaushala was established. We are now planning to develop the cow conservation centre into a ‘vulture restaurant’. Efforts are on to monitor vulture populations and create a conducive environment for their breeding. We expect support from the government and authorities concerned,” said Tulsiram, who is actively involved in vulture conservation.

According to ornithologist Krishna Bhusal, nine of the total 23 vulture species found in the world are recorded in Nepal. Four species—white-rumped vulture, slender-billed vulture, red-headed vulture and Indian vulture—are listed as critically endangered. The Egyptian vulture is listed as endangered and three species—bearded vulture, cinereous vulture and Himalayan griffon—as near threatened.

The vulture population is thriving in the Shishuwa Bhateri area, thanks to the steady availability of food. After feeding on carcasses, the vultures generally search for high places to rest. The tall trees in the forest across the river provide ideal resting spots for the vultures.

However, the Bhorletar-Damauli 33 kV transmission line from the Midim Hydropower Project near the cow conservation centre has become a hazard for the vultures.

“A vulture perched on an electricity pole and was electrocuted last week. Three vultures have been electrocuted on the power lines this year,” said Ram Prasad Sapkota, a local resident.

“Although the vulture population has increased in the area since the establishment of the Gaushala, the high-tension lines have become a death trap for them.”

In January of 2022, three vultures were electrocuted and another was injured in a single day while attempting to perch on an electricity pole of the Bhorletar-Damauli 33 KV transmission line. “We have alerted the Midim Hydropower Project and the Tanahun branch of Nepal Electricity Authority about the issue, but it remains unaddressed,” complained Tulsiram.

Nepal’s vulture population saw a marked decline in the 1990s. Several researchers have linked the use of Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug used in treating livestock, to the drop in numbers. Studies have shown that vultures feeding on carcasses of livestock treated with this drug suffer kidney failure and die within days.

Since the government banned the production, sale and use of Diclofenac in 2006, the population of vultures, mainly the white-rumped vulture, has been gradually recovering.

Various governmental and non-governmental organisations have launched initiatives to conserve vultures in Nepal. A vulture breeding centre was established in Kasara of Chitwan district in 2008.

According to experts, vultures play a vital role in controlling the spread of diseases like cholera, rabies, plague, and anthrax by keeping the environment clean. Protecting these birds is crucial for maintaining ecological balance and keeping the food chain balanced and dynamic.