KATHMANDU: Amid worries about the dwindling vulture population in Nepal, ornithologists have discovered a new vulture habitat in the Koshi Tappu area.

“Our survey confirmed 32 new nests of White-rumped Vulture in a remote corner of Koshi Tappu,” said Dr Hem Sagar Baral, an ornithologist. A team comprising Badri Chaudhary, Anish Timsina and Krishna Bhandari carried out the survey at the initiation of the Himalayan Nature.

Nepal is home to eight vulture species, four of which falling to the globally threatened category. White-rumped vulture is one of the critically endangered species. Koshi Tappu is one of the fertile grounds for vultures in Nepal. In 2001, 67 nests were found in this wetland.

“We found none in 2004,” said Baral. On the basis of the finding, the area was declared a vulture-less region. “Spotting some vultures flying in October, I proposed to survey the region. We later found 32 nests, three of which under construction, there,” said Badri Chaudhary, field ornithologist, Himalayan Nature.

The government decision to ban the use and sale of Diclofenac for veterinary purpose proved a boon for the vulture population. Diclofenac is a drug that was blamed for the death of most South Asian vultures. The birds are said to have died of kidney failure after consuming the carcass of the animals which had been administered Diclofenac. According to Himalayan Nature, the team will monitor the nest success and mortality until May 2010.

In addition, the vultures get a supply of carcasses of the 1,000 wild buffaloes conserved in the reserve. The abundance of food could have helped boostthe number,” added Chaudhary. Nepal has an estimated 1,000 pairs of the White-rumped Vulture.”With the discovery of this newfound colony, there is a renewed hope for a revival of the vulture population,” said Dr Baral.