Panchkula: International Vulture Awareness Day 2026 was observed in Panchkula, Haryana, with Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav inaugurating a national-level workshop on the theme ‘From Crisis to Recovery – Conserving India’s Vultures’.
Haryana Minister for Environment, Forest and Wildlife Rao Narbir Singh, along with senior officials and dignitaries from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Haryana Government, attended the event.
The programme was organised in collaboration with the MoEFCC, Central Zoo Authority (CZA), Haryana Forest & Wildlife Department, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre (JCBC), Pinjore. It brought together forest officials, scientists, veterinarians, zoo professionals, conservation practitioners and other stakeholders to strengthen collaborative efforts for vulture conservation.
Addressing the gathering, Bhupender Yadav said the government’s approach to environmental conservation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is based on a holistic, ecosystem-oriented model, rather than being limited to individual species. He cited conservation initiatives covering Big Cats, Sloth Bears, the Great Indian Bustard, Dolphins, Gharials, Wild Water Buffaloes and vultures.
Yadav noted that India is home to a diverse range of resident and migratory vultures, including White-rumped, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Red-headed, Egyptian, Himalayan Griffon, Eurasian Griffon, Cinereous and Bearded Vultures, and highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure their successful conservation.
The Minister underlined the critical ecological role of vultures as highly efficient scavengers, describing them as “nature’s own cleaning system.” By rapidly consuming animal carcasses, vultures help recycle nutrients and maintain ecological balance.
He said challenges such as climate change and human-animal conflict continue to affect wildlife, while India witnessed a sharp decline in its vulture population since the 1990s, primarily due to disruption of their food chain and the use of certain painkillers in livestock that were subsequently consumed by vultures.
Yadav called for a coordinated ‘Whole of Government’ and ‘Whole of Society’ approach to vulture conservation. He stressed the need to create and expand Vulture Safe Zones through vulture-safe veterinary practices, ensuring safe food availability and strengthening technical capacities to support the recovery of species in the wild.
He also appealed to veterinary professionals, livestock owners, local administrations and communities to contribute actively to vulture conservation and promote safe carcass-management practices.
Earlier, the Union Minister visited the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre (JCBC), Pinjore, where he toured the facility, reviewed a presentation on its activities and interacted with officials involved in vulture conservation.
The JCBC, a collaborative initiative of the Haryana Forest Department and BNHS, has emerged as an important conservation-breeding centre for White-rumped, Long-billed and Slender-billed Vultures.
The centre undertakes scientific husbandry, artificial incubation, veterinary care, breeding and genetic management. During 2025–26, the JCBC housed 356 vultures and successfully bred 35 chicks. It also released or contributed 87 vultures for reintroduction, transferred 90 birds to other conservation-breeding institutions and trained 1,222 participants from 22 institutions, strengthening technical capacity for vulture conservation.
Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Minister Rao Narbir Singh highlighted the important contribution of the JCBC, Pinjore, to India’s vulture conservation programme. He said the success of conservation breeding should not be measured merely by the number of animals born, but by the establishment of healthy and genetically managed populations, generation of scientific knowledge, development of technical capacity and contribution to species recovery in the wild.
During the inaugural session, a coffee-table book titled ‘Story of Jatayu: Saving India’s Vulture’ was released. The book chronicles India’s vulture conservation journey, from the sharp decline in populations to the development of a successful conservation-breeding programme at JCBC Pinjore.
The event also featured a prize distribution ceremony for an online drawing competition and digital photography competition focused on vulture conservation.
The National Workshop concluded with a renewed commitment to ensuring that vultures continue to thrive across India’s landscapes and perform their vital ecological role. The journey ‘From Crisis to Recovery’ reflects the country’s collective efforts towards vulture conservation through science, policy, conservation breeding, safe landscapes and community participation.