The Vulture Chronicles: Of trains, birds, parathas and camaraderie

The decline of vulture populations in South Asia, primarily caused by the veterinary drug diclofenac, is one of the most tragic and pressing conservation crises of our time. Once numbering in the millions, these majestic scavengers have seen populations plummet by over 90% in just a few decades. Diclofenac, used to treat livestock, is lethal to vultures feeding on the carcasses of treated animals. This catastrophic loss has unleashed a cascade of ecological consequences, from increased prevalence of rabies to disrupted food chains. Yet, as we have seen over these past days in Bandhavgarh, the numbers of soaring vultures are yielding hope that persists in the form of dedicated monitoring and conservation efforts by a cadre of committed individuals and organizations.

Each day over the period we were there, our days in Bandhavgarh usually began at the crack of dawn, with tea in hand and mist rising over the forest floor. Surjit and Iqbal, our illustrious drivers were always on time to pick us up, their smiles adding more light to the early morning rays of sunshine. Each day brought its own sense of wonder and discovery. Driving through the park’s winding roads, we saw spotted deer darting across our path, peacocks displaying their iridescent feathers, and the occasional barking deer or Malabar pied hornbill perched high in the canopy. The forest, still lush from the monsoon rains, enveloped us in a symphony of birdcalls—rufous treepies, rose-ringed parakeets, flameback woodpeckers, and kingfishers among them. We watched as vultures bathed cautiously in one of the dams under the watchful eye of a stunning Crested Hawk-eagle. Butterflies flitted through sunbeams, and dragonflies skimmed the surface of watering holes. It was a sensory feast, but we were here with a mission: to document the nesting sites and population health of the critically endangered Indianvultures, a study that we are building on after a hiatus of eight long years. Reaching the iconic Dolphins Head, a rocky precipice overlooking one of the park’s largest cliffs, was both a physical and emotional journey. Cutting through thorny underbrush and climbing through thick vines, we finally arrived at this stunning vantage point, our telescopes and datasheets in hand. The wind carried the sound of wings—a mesmerizing, whooshing rhythm as vultures soared past us. We watched in awe as these magnificent birds glided effortlessly, their wings catching thermals with grace, was a humbling experience. We meticulously recorded data, each alphanumeric nest site a testament to the persistence of life in the face of adversity.