Vulture Feeding Scheme Of Byas Municipality


Byas Municipality in Tanahu has started conserving vultures by providing food found locally. The vultures, known as natural scavengers, are very important for the eco-system.
The municipality has separated Sibashu Vateri, an area in Ward No. 10 of the municipality, for food to the vultures and the number of vultures has started increasing around the area.
The cows and bulls that die at the Cow Conservation Centre in the area have been used for feeding the vultures. After getting the food, different species of vultures have started appearing around the area.
According to Ward Chairman Tulsiram Sapkota, the vultures started coming to the Cow Conservation Centre set up with the help of Byas Municipality.
The vultures started coming to the Cow Conservation Centre after the Centre started leaving the dead cattle in the field near the Madi River, he said.
Even though it was difficult to see vultures in the area before setting up the Cow Conservation Centre three years ago, now 50 to 60 vultures of different species come daily, Sapkota said.
“We don’t know the names of all the vultures but nine species of local vultures started appearing in the area,” he said. Few of the species are Ghati Khuile, Himali, Garud, Seto, Raja and long-neck vultures.
According to Prajapati Sapkota, chairman of the Cow Conservation Centre, dead cattle are being left in the open for food as the vultures are disappearing due to lack of food.
Even when the cattle are sick, poisonless medicines are provided to the cattle as per the veterinarian’s advice.
Ward Chairman Sapkota said that additional support has been provided for vulture conservation along with cow rearing as conserving vultures will help in maintaining environmental balance. The Cow Conservation and Organic Fertilizer Production Centre is currently conserving 52 cows. The unclaimed livestock have been collected and managed with the active participation of the municipality.
The Veterinary Hospital and Veterinary Services Expert Centre have also been supporting the Cow Conservation Centre. A terrace has been constructed for the cows at Rs. 500,000 and they are given medicines if they fall sick, said the chief of the Veterinary Hospital and Veterinary Services Expert Centre, Dr. Bal Kumar Shrestha.
Ward Chairman Sapkota informed that the Byas Municipality has constructed a fence for Rs. 1.2 million.
Chief of the Division Forest Office, Tanahu, Komal Raj Kafle said that the efforts made by the municipality for the conservation of vultures were exemplary.

Source : THE RISING NEPAL,