Vulture Count 2024: Citizen Scientists to the Rescue

The World Wide Fund for Nature has announced Vulture Count 2024, a nationwide initiative starting on September 7 to monitor and conserve vulture populations in India. The project involves citizen scientists and aims to address the decline in vulture numbers due to various threats, including toxic medications and habitat loss.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has launched Vulture Count 2024, a nationwide citizen-science project aimed at monitoring and conserving India's rapidly declining vulture populations, often known as 'nature's clean-up crew.'

Starting on September 7, International Vulture Awareness Day, the initiative will run until October 6. WWF-India has identified 20 key locations across the country for public participation, including Ghazipur Landfill and Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in the capital.

The initiative, in collaboration with Bird Count India and eBird, aims to address the critical decline in vulture numbers caused by toxic drugs, habitat loss, and other human-induced threats. The collected data will help identify critical habitats, track population trends, and guide conservation efforts.