Vulture Conservation awareness program was held on 12 March
2014 in Banganga VDC of Kapilvastu district which is also one of the vulture
nesting site. The programme was jointly organized by two community forest
Lalmatiya community forest and Prativa community forest with the technical
support of Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN). These community forests hold up the
habitat of critically endangered white-rumped vulture. The programme was
organized to familiarize the communities with the vanishing species and involve
them in the participatory conservation approach.
In the programme Krishna Bhusal Field Biologist of BCN
presented the status of vulture, conservation approach and the role of
communities to safeguard them from verge of extinction. Mr. Udaya Raj Tharu,
president of Lalmatiya community forest shared the plans of forest resources
management. Participants from community forests suggested including the vulture
conservation program in the Community Forest Operation Plan at the time of
review.
Altogether 37 individuals participated in the program from
the different discipline community forest, club, mother group, teachers,
journalist and social activist. After the awareness program the team with
forest caretaker and CFUGs member monitored the vulture nests and additionally
found out nine more nests in slightly southern patch from the existing colony.