Karwar: Uttara Kannada district, known for its unique bio-diversity, is likely to get a vulture conservation zone. The zone will be identified and endangered vultures will find a safe place to live.

Lok Sabha member Anant Kumar Hegde said there is a need to link the biodiversity chain. This will help protect all birds, animals and reptiles. At present, vultures are endangered across the country and Uttara Kannada is also affected by the disappearance of vultures.

Crops grown in fields are subjected to attack by monkeys and other animals. If vultures are protected, they hunt monkeys and help protect the crops, besides keeping the environment clean.

Vultures have been contributing to the well-being of humans for centuries. According to a note of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the ecological, social and cultural significance of vultures in India may be summed up as ‘scavenging on animal carcasses of animals and thereby helping keep the environment clean; and the disposal of dead bodies as per the religious practices of the Parsi community.’

Removal of a major scavenger from the ecosystem will affect the equilibrium between populations of other scavenging species or result in increase in putrefying carcasses. In the absence of carcass disposing mechanisms, decline in vultures may lead to an increase in the number of putrefying animal carcasses in the countryside.

“Considering the need to protect vultures, I have requested the Ministry of Environment and Forest to create a zone for their conservation in Uttara Kannada district. Minister for Environment and Forest Prakash Javadekar has responded positively,” Hegde said.

Expansion of ‘project elephant’

Hegde said areas around Dandeli are brought under Project Elephant, but other areas also need to be included under the project. Several areas have been affected by elephant attack. In order to protect crops and facilitate free movement of elephants, there is a need to expand geographical areas under Project Elephant. The Ministry has also been requested in this regard, Hegde said.