Can Captive Breeding Rescue Vultures from Extinction?
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is working in India with the Bombay Natural History Society and the Haryana state government to expand a vulture care center in the town of Pinjore. The center is designed to look after sick and injured birds and to include a captive-breeding program. Additional support for the expansion effort comes from the United Kingdom-based Institute of Zoology and the U.K. National Bird of Prey Trust. Pain said three aviaries large enough to hold 20 birds of each of the three species are currently being built at the facility. Plans call for further expansions. The United Arab Emirates’ Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency has offered to host 25 breeding pairs of each species for Pakistan and Nepal for a few years, until those countries develop local facilities and expertise for captive breeding. Recovery Possible? According to Watson, the chances of a successful recovery for the Asian white-backed vulture and the long-billed vulture
