A
report on the awareness programme “Vulture Safe Zone, Assam” by Department of
Zoology in collaboration with Vulture Conservation Breeding
Centre, Rani, Assam and IQAC, D.K. College, Mirza on 16th February
2023.
Department of Zoology, D. K. College, Mirza has
organized an awareness camp on vulture safe zone, Assam in collaboration
with Vulture
Conservation Breeding Centre, Rani, Assam and IQAC, D. K. College, Mirza on 16th
February 2023. The programme was presided over by Mr. Pabitra Jyoti Kalita, HoD,
Department of Zoology. He inaugurated the programme with a brief speech on the
importance of vultures and their conservation. The programme was also attended by
the faculties and students of the college. Dr. Jilmil Bora, IQAC
co-coordinator, also attended the programme and highlighted the importance of
vultures in maintaining the balance of the environment.
The resource person, Senior Scientist and center
manager, Vulture Conservation Breeding Center, Sachin P Ranade gave a very
informative lecture on vulture population existing in India and the causes of
its decline. He also emphasized on the steps taken to breed them in captive
condition and release in natural environment to enhance the wild population of
vulture. He delivered an hour long lecture through PowerPoint mode. He was also
accompanied by two other biologists from Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS),
Mr. Deep Gogoi and Mr. Mrinmoy Desai.
Vultures play a significant role in maintaining a
healthy and natural environment as they are scavengers. They help us to dispose
off carcasses when animals die. But due to the use of anti-inflammatory drug,
Diclofenac for livestock, and if vultures take these carcasses within 72 hours,
they die of kidney failure and led to the declination of the vulture population
in the wild. Now-a-days Meloxicam has been used in place of Diclofenac which
are toxic to vulture health.