Satellite tagging tracks Egyptian vulture’s 200 km journey to Ayodhya

Researchers have successfully tracked an Egyptian vulture’s 200-kilometer journey from Pokhara to Ayodhya, India, using satellite technology. Few months ago, they started a satellite tagging project to track the migration, behavior and threats faced by the endangered Egyptian vulture. As part of the study, satellite tags were attached to five Egyptian vultures in Pokhara. Among them, a two-year-old vulture stayed in Ayodhya for about a week before flying back. 

The study aims to identify challenges faced by vultures and their movement patterns. According to researcher Krishna Bhusal, the vulture stopped at Jatayu Restaurant in Gaindatal and Lumbini during its journey to Ayodhya. On its return, it passed through Kapilvastu and Syangja, covering the distance back to Pokhara in a day.  

The tagged vultures include one juvenile and four adults aged between four and five years. Satellite tags, powered by solar energy, record data every two hours, allowing researchers to monitor the birds’ movements, roosting sites, flight altitudes, and potential threats in real time.  

According to Bhusal, Ayodhya is a suitable habitat for vultures due to the availability of food near cow shelters. White-rumped vultures from Pokhara have also flown to Ayodhya in the past. 

Similar studies recorded long-distance travel by other vulture species, including the white-rumped vulture reaching Jammu and Kashmir (1,100 km) and the Himalayan vulture traveling over 5,000 km to India and China.  

Egyptian vultures and slender-billed vultures, however, show relatively limited movement compared to these species.  

Bhusal, who has been involved in conservation and research of vultures for a long time, is conducting this study as part of his doctoral research. Of the six native vulture species in Nepal, five have been studied using satellite tagging. The current study, initiated in late August, is the first to focus on identifying threats to Egyptian vultures.  

The satellite tags help researchers monitor the birds’ health and location. If a tagged vulture falls sick, is injured, or dies, its movement data can aid in timely rescue or post-mortem analysis.  

Nepal is home to an estimated 1,000 Egyptian vultures, with Pokhara hosting around 50 percent of the population. Tanahun and Arghakhanchi districts are also the preferred habitat of this species. 

These vultures play a vital ecological role by consuming carrion and small organic waste, helping maintain a clean environment.  

Most Egyptian vultures in Nepal nest on cliffs in mid-hill regions, with some also nesting on trees in the lowlands. 

The study is expected to provide valuable insights into their breeding patterns, lifespan, and the challenges they face, according Ankit Bilas Joshi, program head of vulture conservation at Bird Conservation Nepal.