Credit: DH Photo
Karwar, Uttara Kannada dist: An electronic device, attached to the back of a White-rumped vulture, created curiosity and concerns alike among the people at Nadivada near Kodibagh here.
People in the village feared that the small-sized bird, which sits on the roofs of houses here, could be part of a spy ring.
The police examined the bird in detail, given that Nadivada is in the vicinity of the Seabird naval base.
The residents heaved a sigh of relief after coming to know that the bird was being used for research purposes by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
Personnel of the forest department too are keeping an eye on the movements of the bird.
“Research is underway on the White-rumped vulture, a species on the verge of extinction. It was tagged in August and was released from the Tadoba-Andheri tiger sanctuary of Maharashtra on November 1. The transmitter fixed to its back helps track its movements. We received satellite inputs that it was on the
banks of River Kali over the last four days,” a researcher from BNHS told DH.
“It is not easy to use the vulture for spying. The bird should be handled with care since it is still young and is being used for research purposes,” said wildlife researcher Amith Hegde.