Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh): Where many species of vultures have been extinct from the country, a rare white Himalayan vulture was spotted here in the Idgah cemetery of the city. The locals were amused to see the vulture with wings about five feet long and even caught it and handed it over to the police.
A local, Shafiq, who caught the vulture, said that he, along with five people, had caught the vulture by pulling a sheet and the vulture was easily caught as it seemed aged. Hundreds of people gathered around to see it. The police, as soon as reached the spot, took the vulture to the Kanpur zoo.
Deputy Director of the zoo Dr Anurag Singh said that this vulture is almost extinct in the country and everyone in the zoo was surprised to see the rare vulture in Kanpur. Dr Mohammad Nasir of Kanpur Zoological Park said that the vulture flies in the high mountain ranges of Himachal. The name of the species of this vulture is the Himalayan griffon vulture. Although last year also such vultures were spotted in the Nawabganj Unnao area, but they can not be traced now.
Also read: Vultures on the verge of extinction in Gujarat, says forest department
Himalayan griffon vulture usually comes to the plains during cold weather and the species never lives in herds, but in pairs. The zoo experts suspected that another vulture might have accompanied this one. An expert further said that these vultures always make nests in high places like tall trees, mobile towers and big electric poles and the vulture must have been come amongst the people in search of food. The visitors of the zoo will be able to pay a visit to the vulture now while the zoo authority takes care of the vulture's health.
