A vulture breeding in the hedgerows and trees of Arghakhanchi

माघ २४, २०८१

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A vulture breeding in the hedgerows and trees of Arghakhanchi

The vultures of nature are breeding at this time. The vultures are currently feeding their young in the high trees and guardrails of Arghakhanchi forest, which are considered suitable habitats for vultures. In October/November, vultures make nests, lay eggs in May, hatch their young in January/February and fly the young away around Baisakh.

Krishnaprasad Bhusal, a vulture expert, said that eight species of vultures are hunting the young in the Salla, Simal and other trees and Bhir Pahra. A vulture lays only one egg once. Reproductive success is 50 to 77 percent. Out of 9 species found in Nepal, eight species of vultures are found in Arghakhanchi. The endangered white vulture, which is rare in the world, is also breeding. Ghera Bhir in Malarani rural municipality-5 of

district is a nesting area where all three nesting species nest in Pahra of Nepal . According to the study so far, Ghera Bhir is only one area, where the endangered Himalayan vulture and the horned vulture, as well as the world's rarest endangered white vulture, are found nesting in the same watch . Therefore, Bhusal said that Ghera Bhir is likely to become a center for vulture research.

Endangered white vulture has built a nest in Argha, Dharapani, Dhakavang, Pakle, Narapani, Divarna in Arghakhanchi, while the world's rare endangered Dungar vulture and golden vulture are breeding in Salleri forest of Argha and Chhatradev.  Although Panchthari Giddha is a permanent inhabitant, small gray vultures, brown vultures and royal vultures also migrate to Argakhanchi district from time to time.

Ghera Bhir is considered to be the most suitable place in Nepal for the breeding of vultures. The vultures that live in the lowlands including the Himalayas, Madhyapahar and Chitwan build their nests at an altitude of about 900 meters to 2400 meters above sea level. Because they breed between hedgerows and treetops, they are not often vulnerable to animals and other species, except in the case of fire and tree felling. When the baby vulture flies, it can be a bit of a problem because it may hit the electric wire and have to go far for food.

There is no definite data that such a number has been bred in Arghakhanchi. Last year, it was estimated that there were 35 nests of Himalayan Vulture, two of Hadfor, 21 of Dungar and four of White Vulture in Ghera Bhir. Bhusal, a vulture expert, said that the world's rare chirkalis, which is included in the government's list of protected birds along with vultures in Ghera Bhir, said. During the winter, it has been found that there is a rare Gomayu Mahachil, which migrates from Mongolia.

Arghakhanchi is considered a suitable place for climate, good habitat . After the children grow up, they leave Arghakhanchi and move to other hilly districts and Terai. Recently, the number of livestock in the village has decreased, so they go far to find food. The vulture does not hunt itself, but because it only eats dead animals, the vulture is a bird that protects the polluted and smelly environment from epidemics and communicable diseases.

"Lately, the number of vultures is decreasing due to lack of food," he said, "declining by more than 95 percent means reaching an emergency situation." If the vultures disappear, the natural cycle will change. Until 10 years ago, there were five lakh vultures in Nepal. 16 crore in India. According to Bhusal, 95 percent of vultures have disappeared in South Asia and Nepal in a decade.

The northern part of Arghakhanchi district, which is home to rare vultures and chirkalis in the world, has been declared as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. Ghera Bhir, which is known as the habitat of vultures, and the area around it, in coordination with Birdlife International, a scientific organization working on birds worldwide, and Nepal Bird Conservation Association, which works in the field of birds in Nepal, have been declared an important bird and biodiversity area by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and the Department of Forests and Land Conservation. 

According to the Important Birds and Biodiversity Areas of Nepal book, there are 42 such areas in Nepal. Ghera Bhir in Malarani Rural Municipality of the district is a nesting area where all three species nest in Pahara of Nepal, so Ghera Bhir has the potential to become a center for vulture research . So far, more than 250 species of birds have been recorded in Argha Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. In order to publicize and promote this area, researchers and tourists from home and abroad can come to see rare vultures, chirkalis and the beautiful landscape here. 

He said that there is a need to take initiatives from the government of Nepal and concerned agencies for further study, monitoring and promotion of this important bird and biological diversity area which is known in the world recently. Argha has become an important bird and biodiversity area as a result of continuous search and research in the last 15 years. Bhusal says that there is a need to emphasize on tourism promotion and protection in this area.

Three species of rare vultures, their nests and reproductive activities have been observed and investigated in Ghera Bhir . From the Malarani temple at the top of Ghera Bhir, you can see the beautiful snow ranges of Arghakhanchi, Gulmi and Pyuthan, Sampathan and Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu .

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