HUBBALLI: The Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) was considered almost extinct in North Karnataka. However, biodiversity researcher Manjunath Nayak sighted the bird in the hills of Kalakaleshwar near Gajendragad in Gadag district , creating hopes among environmentalists that the region still maintains good ecological balance.Nayak told STOI that these vultures were found in this region two decades ago. "I could not make photographic documentation then as I it was a non-digital era. Once I got digital knowledge a decade ago, I have been searching for the bird wherever I travel in North Karnataka. When I visited Kalakaleshwar last Sunday, I spotted a pair of vultures on a rocky cliff," he said.Speaking about the historically significant Gajendragad-Badami stretch, he said the neighbouring hills of Nagendragad and Shanteshwar Betta (Shantageri village) run towards Siddeshwar Betta (Hosur village of Badami taluk) and Siddankolla. "These hills are rich in biodiversity and are a suitable habitat nd breedi ng area for vultures. These bird species always live in groups and some of them were seen flying in these hills," he added.Nayak suspected that the use of diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which is normally used to control joint pain among domestic animals must be responsible for the decline in population of the vultures. "The birds are affected if they consume the flesh of animals that are given the drug. Diclofenac was banned by the government to help conservation of these birds and Meloxicam, which is harmless to the vultures, was promoted as an alternative. Probably this move is giving a space for these vultures to return to NK," he said.He also opined that there are more Indian vultures in NK region but there is no serious research on them. "A large area of NK does not have the forest department's wild life unit. It should be set here to conserve birds' species before they go extinct," he urged.

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