HIMALAYAN GRIFFON VULTURES - ENVIRONMENT

News: Rare Himalayan griffon vulture rescued in Kanpur

 

What's in the news?

       A rare species of Himalayan griffon vulture was rescued by locals near the Eidgah cemetery in Kanpur.

 

Key takeaways:

       The vulture, which is listed as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, was handed over to the Forest Department.

 

Himalayan Griffon Vultures:

       The Himalayan vulture or Himalayan griffon vulture as it is called is an old world vulture native to the Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan Plateau.

Distribution:

       The Himalayan vulture is mostly found on the Tibetan plateau in the Himalayas (India, Bhutan, Nepal, central China and Mongolia).

       It can also be found in the mountains of Central Asia (from Kazakhstan and Afghanistan in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east).

       It migrates to northern India on occasion, however, migration is usually only occurring altitudinally.

 

Protection:

       IUCN Status - Near threatened