Rampur-8 of Palpa, there were around 1000 vultures in Khaireni community forest area until three decades ago, two decades ago only 20-30 were seen, now the number of vultures has reached 350.
76-year-old Thaneshwar Aryal of Aampchaur, Rampur Municipality-8 of Palpa saw hundreds of vultures in Khaireni forest 40 years ago. A herd of vultures would cover the trees when going to the forest in the evening. A herd of vultures used to live in Budha Simal tree. The number of vultures was decreasing.
"While vultures are decreasing, 20 years ago there were only 20-30," he said, "now it is increasing every year."
As Aryal said, by 2049/50, there were about a thousand vultures in Khaireni forest in Rampur. But since then, the number of vultures has been decreasing. After the communities living in this area built a community forest around 2049, the vultures were gradually protected.
After 2058 years, this area was declared a vulture conservation area. After the communalization of forests, different species of plants were grown along with forest conservation. Protection of animals and birds, hunting in forests is prohibited. In addition to environmental improvement, vulture conservation work progressed. Logging of firewood was stopped. Then again the vulture made a place to stay.
'30 to 45 vultures have started making nests here in a year,' said local consumer Rukmangat Aryal, 'now we are ready to make it a major tourism area.' For that, eating dead animals is surrounded. Chhayachandra Pangeni, president of Khaireni Community Forest Consumer Group, said that animals infected with canker sores and vaccinated were confined in the forest. The forest surrounded by Kaligandaki river is called Small Khaireni and the forest not surrounded by the river is named Big Khaireni Forest.
Narayan Prasad Aryal, a member of the community forest and a consumer, said that the vulture park built in the Khaireni forest area, the entrance gate and the footpath built in the forest area play an important role for tourism. Jatayu observation site, Jatayu park, forest management and chautari have been constructed inside the forest.
He says that Jatayu Park, built in a forest with great potential for vulture habitat, can become a major destination for tourists. Surya Prasad Aryal, a user of Khaireni Community Forest, said that he understood that the community's activism is necessary for conservation and sustainability.
According to vulture experts, 14 of the 23 species of vultures in the world are endangered. 9 species of vultures can be found in Nepal. White Vulture, Little Gray Vulture, Dungar Vulture, Golden Vulture, Himalayan Vulture and King Vulture are seen here. Vultures have become extinct in many places due to the death of vultures by eating animals that have used pesticides.
After the government banned diclofenac drug used in animal treatment in 2063, two species of endangered vulture, Dungar and small gray vulture, have increased in numbers, according to forest expert Sanyog Basnet.
For the past three years, the Division Forest Office has been advancing the work of vulture conservation and tourism by allocating the budget here. Divisional Forest Chief Narayandev Bhattarai said that the forest area has been developed as a tourist area by creating a master plan.
Khaireni Community Forest Area is an island located on the banks of Kaligandaki River. According to the Division Forest Office, it can be promoted in terms of tourism. The forest area is 31.50 hectares. It is the smallest community forest in the district.
According to the Forest Consumer Group, the main reason for the good presence of vultures in the area is the meandering of the Kaligandaki river. As the river meanders around the forest, the animals that have flowed along the banks tend to get washed away. Yograj Aryal, a local, said that vultures have become a habitat for vultures because of the natural availability of sino. This place is far from human habitation. Here there are enough old Simal trees,' he said, 'where there are tall trees, vultures have made their habitat.'
Khil Bahadur Tamang, Information Officer of the Division Forest Office, also said that the vultures might have built a habitat in the area where there is not much human activity. According to the study of the forest office, there are 150 species of birds, 13 species of mammals, 8 species of amphibians and reptiles, 8 species of trees, 8 species of tropical plants, 30 species of butterflies and 350 vultures. Last year, 34 vulture nests were found here.
According to the Bird Conservation Association, this forest has the highest density of white dungur vultures in Nepal. Khaireni Forest is also listed as an Important Bird Area. "This area can be developed as a bird-based tourism destination," Rampur Municipality chief Raman Bahadur Thapa said.
Information officer Tamang said that Vulture can be made a center of attraction even in terms of tourism. But the area still lacks the amount of food needed by vultures. The group's internal resources for managing vulture diets are not strong. There is a lack of technical manpower for the management of forest areas and the care of vultures.
