(Endangered) Baby (Oriental White-backed) Vulture Born in Captivity in India

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2007/jan/08/010803325.html

MUMBAI, India (AP) - One of the world's most endangered birds, the oriental white-backed vulture, has bred in captivity for the first time in India, scientists said Monday.

The chick, hatched on Jan. 1 in a breeding center in Pinjore, in northern India's Haryana state, belongs to one of three species of Asian vultures facing extinction.

"This is the best New Year's gift we could get," said Vibhu Prakash, who heads a nongovernment vulture breeding initiative. "We are waiting for a couple more eggs to hatch."

Millions of long-billed, slender-billed and oriental white-backed vultures have died in South Asia over the past 12 years after eating cattle carcasses tainted with diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory painkiller given to sick cows.

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[pitohui]

1. what is disturbing is how quickly this hit

these species will probably go extinct, yet you see where they say "millions" were killed -- the species used to be common and was relied upon for "road patrol" as we vulture fanciers call it

this is not a case of rare species teetering on the edge, these were common and visible species that played an important role in sanitation

now it's apparently at california condor-like levels

captive breeding will never put these birds back in society, it will just make them a rare curiosity, better than nothing of course but still...jesus...tens of millions killed and one hatched and when they get 25 they'll try to put them back in the wild

pissing in the wind

[XemaSab]

2. Indian vultures can pick a human carcass clean in 5 minutes

:D