World's First Captive-Bred Slender-Billed Vultures Take Flight In Assam

Five captive-bred slender-billed vultures flew into the wild in Assam on Friday, marking the world’s first release of captive-bred birds of the species. Five white-rumped vultures joined them at the Jatayu Soft Release Centre in Tewaripal, Biswanath.

The birds had spent three months getting used to the area after being moved from the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre at Rani. Officials opened the aviary gate from a distance with a pulley so the birds could leave without human disturbance. Their movements were watched from a CCTV-equipped tower.

Each bird carries a numbered blue leg ring and a tag on its back. This will help experts track the birds and study how they settle in the wild.

Assam is an important choice for the release. It is considered the last stronghold of the slender-billed vulture in India, with small breeding populations still found around Kaziranga. The state also has large protected areas and a natural supply of animal carcasses, which form the birds’ food.

Both the slender-billed and white-rumped vultures are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and receive the highest protection under India's Wildlife Protection Act.

The crisis began decades ago. India's three main Gyps vultures, white-rumped, long-billed and slender-billed lost about 99.9% of their numbers since the 1990s. The biggest killer was diclofenac, a painkiller used to treat cattle. Vultures died after eating carcasses of treated animals. India banned veterinary use of diclofenac in 2006 and later restricted other harmful drugs.

Assam and BNHS have run their breeding programme since 2007. In December 2025, Assam released 35 captive-bred vultures, including 30 white-rumped and five slender-billed birds, into Kaziranga. In March 2026, another five captive-bred white-rumped vultures were released at Nalapara.

The wider effort is also showing promise. More than 700 vultures have been bred in captivity across India. Tracking has shown that released birds can travel long distances. One long-billed vulture flew nearly 750 km in 17 days, from Pench to Nashik.

The August 7 release was attended by Assam minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, Biswanath MLA Pallab Lochan Das, Special Chief Secretary M Yadav, Chief Wildlife Warden Vinay Gupta, Kaziranga director C Ramesh and BNHS Deputy Director Sachin Ranade.

BNHS has urged people not to use banned veterinary drugs or spray pesticides on animal carcasses. It also asked the public to report sightings of tagged vultures to the forest department or BNHS.