A series of events to mark International Vulture Awareness Day (September 5) across The Nilgiris and surrounding regions was organised through the week from September 1 to 6. 

The events were organised by conservation NGO, Arulagam, in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Biology at Government Arts College, Ooty, and volunteers from ‘State Street’.

“To foster understanding among the younger generation, quiz, elocution, and painting competitions were held for college students, with certificates awarded to the participants. Participants signed a pledge banner supporting vulture conservation,” said S. Bharathidasan, secretary of Arulagam.

Dr. B. Ramakrishnan, Head of the Department of Wildlife Biology, addressed participants on the ecological significance of vultures.

On Sunday, a ‘Vulture Trophy’ volleyball tournament was organised in Anaikatti village in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) to emphasise the importance of creating a ‘Vulture Safe Zone’.

“Using sports as a platform to unite the youth, the initiative raised awareness about ensuring that naturally dead livestock carcasses remain safe food sources for vultures, while highlighting the crucial cooperation needed from the public, particularly cattle rearers,” Mr. Bharathidasan added.

To discourage the use of harmful Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like diclofenac to treat cattle, safer, alternative herbal ethno-veterinary medicine (EVM) kits, developed by ‘Your Farm’ based on the traditional expertise of Padma Shri Dr. Punniyamoorthy, were distributed free of cost to cattle rearers, he added.

Under the guidance of the Forest Department, cattle tissue samples are being collected to support the official declaration of the Nilgiris region as a Vulture Safe Zone. To preserve these samples, S. Bharathidasan handed over a deep freezer to the IPAN Trust, received by its trustee Nigel Otter.