KARACHI: A pre-monsoon survey conducted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Sindh has identified Tharparkar as a major sanctuary for vultures, a scavenging bird species whose population has seen a massive decline in the region, that includes Pakistan.

The survey shows that Thar­parkar is the only place in Sindh with significant numbers of vultures whereas the Khirthar Natio­nal Park is one of the potential sites where vultures may grow in big numbers.

The survey reports spotting of over 450 white-backed, long-bil­led, red-headed, and Egyptian vultures in Tharparkar and a much smaller number in the Khirthar range.

“Ninety per cent of the total 535 vultures recorded in the entire Sindh were spotted in and around the surrounding area of Gorano pond that now has turned into a wetland.

“An IUCN team early this year recorded 48 other bird species in the same area, which was created some 50km away from Thar coal mine site,” said Naveed Soomro representing IUCN.

The pond received subsoil sal­ine water pumped out from Thar coal mine, he added.

Asked about the factors attracting different bird species to the area, he said the district facing acute water shortages also experienced frequent droughts. Develop­ment of a large water body had changed environmental conditions for birds, including vultures, and many of the species had chosen it as their resting and breeding place, he added.

“The level of TDS (total dissolved solvents) of this water body is high but it does not matter much to birds,” he said, adding that vultures had a long range as they looked for feed and adapted in unique ways to consume dead animals.

The survey recommends creation of vulture safe zones in those areas of Sindh where there exists vulture population. These areas include Tharparkar, Khirthar Natio­nal Park and Gorakh Hills.

It also recommends alternative drugs for livestock, which are not toxic for vultures, through strict enforcement of a ban maintained by drug regulatory authority on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are found to be harmful for vultures.

These drugs are available for human use and should be clearly labelled with caution that they are not meant for livestock, the survey suggests.

Dr Z.B. Mirza, a renowned bird specialist in Pakistan said the IUCN report included observations on the state of the habitats, particularly of the pasturelands and of the lopped fodder trees.

“Unfortunately, the veterinary drugs that are toxic to vultures are found in use all over Sindh with no awareness on [their] deleterious effects amongst users. There were also signs of significant habitat degradation,” he said.

It is important to mention here that Pakistan is home to eight out of nine vulture species found in Asia. Population of all vulture species has been plummeting since the 1990s and there have been no major signs of any recovery.

The biggest threat to vultures in the region has been identified as the use of veterinary non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, such as diclofenac, on livestock that transfers to vultures in high volumes when they consume infected animal carcasses.

Diclofenac was banned for use on domestic livestock in Pakistan in 2006. Research in this area has also highlighted the growing threats of habitat degradation, tree lopping and scarcity of food due to changing dead livestock disposal practices.

The survey, part of an ongoing vulture conservation project, was carried out in collaboration with Sindh wildlife department, the Zoological Survey of Pakistan and Baanhn Beli.

It was funded by Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC).

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2019