White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)

🦅 White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) — Answers

1. Scientific classification:
   • Kingdom: Animalia
   • Class: Aves
   • Order: Accipitriformes
   • Family: Accipitridae
   • Genus: Gyps
   • Species: Gyps bengalensis
2. Natural habitat:
   Found mainly in South Asia—India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar—prefers open forests, plains, and areas near human habitation.
3. Diet:
   Scavenger feeding on dead animal carcasses.
4. Cause of population decline:
   Use of diclofenac in livestock, which is toxic to vultures when ingested from treated carcasses.
5. Conservation status:
   Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List).
6. Conservation efforts:
   Ban on diclofenac, vulture breeding centers, and promotion of safer drugs like meloxicam.
7. Ecological role:
   Cleaning carcasses, preventing spread of diseases, controlling populations of feral animals.
8. Reproduction:
   Single egg per year, nesting in tall trees or cliffs, biparental care.
9. Major breeding centers in India:
   Pinjore (Haryana), centers in West Bengal, Assam, Madhya Pradesh.
10. How people can help:
    Support awareness, advocate diclofenac alternatives, help create vulture-safe zones, educate communities.

The White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) is a critically endangered bird species belonging to the Old World vultures group in the family Accipitridae. Here’s a quick overview:

Description:

• Size: Medium to large vulture, about 80–95 cm in length.
• Appearance: Pale brownish body with a distinctive white patch on the lower back (rump), which is visible in flight. The head and neck are bare with pale skin, and it has a broad wingspan (about 2.3 meters).
• Beak: Strong and hooked, adapted for tearing flesh.
• Flight: Soars on thermals with long, broad wings and a slightly fingered wingtip.

Habitat:

• Found mainly in South and Southeast Asia — India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and parts of Southeast Asia.
• Prefers open areas, dry deciduous forests, and plains, often near human habitation where it scavenges.

Diet:

• Obligate scavenger feeding primarily on carrion (dead animals).

Conservation Status:

• Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List).
• Populations have crashed dramatically, mainly due to poisoning by veterinary drug diclofenac, which is toxic to vultures when they feed on carcasses of treated livestock.
• Conservation efforts include banning diclofenac, captive breeding programs, and awareness campaigns.

Importance:

• Plays a crucial role in the ecosystem by cleaning up carcasses, preventing the spread of diseases.

Would you like details on its behavior, conservation efforts, or anything else?

Certainly! Here are some images of the White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis):

• Adult White-rumped Vulture: This image showcases the adult’s distinctive white lower back and upper tail, contrasting with its dark plumage. birdguideasso.org+2animaldiversity.org+2wildlifevagabond.com+2
• White-rumped Vulture in Flight: An image capturing the vulture’s broad wingspan and soaring flight.
• White-rumped Vulture Pair: A photograph of two vultures perched together, highlighting their social behavior.
• White-rumped Vulture at Keoladev National Park: An image taken in India, showcasing the vulture in its natural habitat.
• White-rumped Vulture Close-up: A close-up photograph by Shantanu Kuveskar, providing detailed features of the vulture. commons.m.wikimedia.org+1thainationalparks.com+1

The White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) is a critically endangered bird species belonging to the Old World vultures group in the family Accipitridae. Here’s a quick overview:

Description:

• Size: Medium to large vulture, about 80–95 cm in length.
• Appearance: Pale brownish body with a distinctive white patch on the lower back (rump), which is visible in flight. The head and neck are bare with pale skin, and it has a broad wingspan (about 2.3 meters).
• Beak: Strong and hooked, adapted for tearing flesh.
• Flight: Soars on thermals with long, broad wings and a slightly fingered wingtip.

Habitat:

• Found mainly in South and Southeast Asia — India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and parts of Southeast Asia.
• Prefers open areas, dry deciduous forests, and plains, often near human habitation where it scavenges.

Diet:

• Obligate scavenger feeding primarily on carrion (dead animals).

Conservation Status:

• Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List).
• Populations have crashed dramatically, mainly due to poisoning by veterinary drug diclofenac, which is toxic to vultures when they feed on carcasses of treated livestock.
• Conservation efforts include banning diclofenac, captive breeding programs, and awareness campaigns.

Importance:

• Plays a crucial role in the ecosystem by cleaning up carcasses, preventing the spread of diseases.

Would you like details on its behavior, conservation efforts, or anything else?