Chennai, Jan 26(IANS): In a recent synchronous survey of vultures conducted in Nilgiris BioSphere Reserve (NBR) spread across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, more than 300 vultures were recorded.

The survey was conducted in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, the Billigiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Tiger Reserve, the Nagerhole Tiger Reserve, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nellai Forest Division.

The Tamil Nadu Forest Department in a statement said that the Mudumalai-Sathyamangalam-Bandipur-Wayanad complex of the NBR accounted for over 82 per cent of the vultures recorded during the survey.

The Forest Department statement said that the number of vultures had increased since the last synchronous vulture census that was conducted in February 2023 when 246 vultures were recorded.

In the most recent survey, conducted in December, 2023, the number of vultures recorded had increased to 320.

The highest number was recorded in the Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserves in Tamil Nadu.

The survey recorded a total of 217 critically endangered white-rumped vultures (Gyps bengalensis), 47 long-billed vultures (Gyps indicus), 50 Asian king vultures (Sarcogyps calvus), four endangered Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) and two "near threatened" Himalayan griffon vultures (Gyps himalayensis).

There are mainly three varieties of vultures, white-rumped, long-billed and Asian king vultures in the Nilgiris biosphere.