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Asian Vulture Crisis Project: Preliminary results for2nd breeding season, Pakistan and Nepal, 2001-2002 (June 2002)The Peregrine Fund566 West Flying Hawk LaneBoise, IdahoUSAConservation priorities of species in jeopardyoften demand a basic understanding oftheir natural history before effective recoveryplans can be implemented. The PeregrineFund, along with in-country partners theOrnithological Society of Pakistan, BirdConservation Nepal and others, have beenworking to understand the population dynamicsof Asian Gyps vultures to determine thecause and extent of vulture mortality in southAsia since October 2000. Systematic monitoringand diagnostic programs have been inplace for two breeding seasons, quantifyingvulture productivity and mortality in coloniesspaced widely across the subcontinent. Thiswork is being supported by a grant from theGordon and Betty Moore Foundation, along with otherdonors.During the second field season in Pakistan (2001/02), 1218Oriental White-backed Vulture nests were located at threesites (Dholewala [DW], Toawala [TW] and Changa Manga[CM]) across the Indus Plain. Numbers of breeding pairshave decreased by ~75% at CM, ~37% at DW and ~11% atTW since 2000/01. The study found 487 dead vultures duringthe 2001/02 breeding season and annual adult mortalityrates of breeding birds were ~27% at CM, ~14% (DW)and ~11% (TW). These were similar to mortality rates ofthe previous season. Prevalence of visceral gout amongstadults and subadults remained high at ~80%. Fieldwork isongoing and dead vultures continue to be found.At Koshi Tappu, Nepal, a significant decrease in numbersof breeding Oriental White-backed Vultures wasobserved (67 nests in 2001 to 12 nests in 2002). Only twoout of nine active nests successfully produced fledglings,while sightings of the sympatric Slender-billed Vulturesin the area were rare (only two birds seen). Five activeHimalayan Vulture nests were located in the AnnapurnaRange. Numbers of this species appear to have remainedstable over the last two decades when compared with previoussurveys.A new Mycoplasma species was identified from vulturetissue collected in Pakistan. Nine captive vultures wereexperimentally infected with tissues from gout-affectedvultures and have not so far exhibited clinical signs consistentwith sick vultures observed in the field. Interviewswith 168 farmers showed that spraying of organophos-phate, pyrethroid and nitrile compounds on cotton and wheatwas intensive and recurrent. The use of organophosphatepesticides in Pakistan has increased significantly over the lastdecade. Pesticide storage and disposal practices are poor, resultingin run-offs into water systems and a high level of exposureto both humans and animals. Diagnostic studies have not so farestablished a link between gout in vultures and agricultural pesticidesused in the region.Findings suggest that mortality rates differ between the threevulture colonies, and this has been supported by a correspondingvariation in population decline. The decline of vultures inIndia has coincided with an almost three-fold increase in the useof pesticides in the region over the last decade. Previously commonresident raptors such as White-eyed Buzzards and BlackshoulderedKites are now rarely encountered in the PunjabProvince, suggesting that Gyps vultures may not be the onlygenus in decline. Temporal and spatial clusters of dead vultureshave been located indicating a point source of exposure.This finding, combined with high pesticide consumption in theregion supports an intoxication theory, but does not rule out thepossibility of a disease agent.Despite the current political situation in south Asia, ThePeregrine Fund and their in-country partners are committed tounderstanding the cause of vulture mortalities in the region.For more information about The Peregrine Fund’s Asia VultureCrisis Project, please visit www.peregrinefund.org/conserv_vulture_results.html12