Indian White-backed Vulture

About Indian white-backed vulture:

• They are medium-sized, dark vultures.
• Scientific name: Gyps bengalensis
• Distribution: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam.
• Habitat: Found mostly in plains and less frequently in hilly regions. Can also be seen in villages and cities near to cultivation.
• Features:
  • Adults are 75 to 85 cm tall.
  • White neck ruff, rump and under wing coverts. 
  • Adults tend towards black coloration, while younger individuals are browner
  • Their wing span is 180 to 210 cm
  • Weight: Ranges from 3.5 to 7.5 kg
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Q1) How many species of vultures are found in India? 

A total of nine species of vultures are found in India. Out of these six species are resident (white–rumped vulture, Indian vulture, slender-billed vulture, red-headed vulture, bearded vulture and Egyptian vulture) and three species are migratory (cinereous vulture, griffon vulture and Himalayan vulture).

Source: In Landmark Moment, 13 Critically Endangered Vultures Released In Bengal

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