1. Vulture restaurant
  2. More birds: Short eared Owl & Houbura Bustard
  3. Mangar forest NCZ
  4. Rainbow warrior 3

Vulture restaurant

  • Vulture is a scavenger bird that feeds on dead carcasses
  • But farmers use diclofenac drug for cattle,which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
  • Vultures eat such dead cattle => its kidney fails due to diclofenac => IUCN status: Critically Endangered
  • Therefore activists have started Vulture restaurants in Africa, India, Pakistan and Nepal.
  • Farmers send dead cattle, staff examines then carcass left in open field for vultures.
  • This is an example of in-situ conservation. (Ex-situ conservation example would be = put vultures in Cage then feed them carcass.)
  • Similar restaurants even Tasmanian Devil by Australia. (IUCN Endangered)

Why in news? Because Gadchiroli forest department also started a vulture restaurant.
EnB-vulture resturant

More birds: Short eared Owl & Houbura Bustard

Short eared owl

  • IUCN Status: Least Concern.
  • It has fluffy feathers on head that look like “ears”, hence the name.
  • Hunt by day and night. Other owls don’t.
  • Crepuscular: active during twilight.
  • Unlike other owl species, short-eared owls hunt by night and day
  • Found in grasslands, wetlands of most continents.
  • Threat: ground nest = dogs, fox etc.

Houbara Bustard

  • IUCN status – Vulnerable
  • Mind it: Great Indian Bustard = Critically Endangered while Houbara is just “vulnerable”.
  • Habitat: arid, semi-desert. In Western India, Pak and Afghanistan.
  • Threat: Men hunt them as “Game” in W.Asia. Its meat considered an aphrodisiac (Sex tonic). Recently a Saudi prince alone killed ~2000 of them within ~20 days’ vacation

Mangar forest NCZ

  • Mangar Forest: Last Natural forest near Delhi. Just 50 kms
  • Mangar Bani forest grove = considered sacred by local Gujjars.
  • Only forest in Haryana that has Dhau trees.

Timeline / Sequence of Events

  • 2005: The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) declared it as natural conservation zone (NCZ), prohibiting construction and tourism.
  • 2012: revised guidelines to allow tourism, parks and resorts construction.
  • 2014: PMO asked NCRPB to take approval from MoEF before moving ahead with this new plan.

Why protect Mangar forest?

  • recently Black eagle spotted. only once in last 100 years.
  • Dhak trees only found here in the entire Haryana.
  • Ground water recharge for Gurgaon and Faidabad
  • Habitat for leopards coming from Sariska, Rajasthan.
  • Buffer for Asola sanctuary. (this is the only wildlife sanctuary under Delhi Government.). Mind it: Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary belongs to Haryana government.

Rainbow warrior 3

Rainbow Warrior

  • Arctic has 13% of world’s oil and 30% of gas. But until now, thick ice cover=difficult to extract.
  • Global warming= ice became thin, Russian PSU “Gazprom” began drilling oil in Barents Sea in Arctic region.
  • April 2014, Gazprom sent first shipment of this artic oil to Netherland.
  • Greenpeace NGO sent a ship “Rainbow warrior III” to create “rastaa roko” against Russian ship. They tried to stop Russain ship from unloading oil at Rotterdam port.
  • But Netherland police has arrested Greenpeace activists, hence in news.

Greenpeace argument:

  • Arctic ecosystem too fragile, hence offshore oil drilling bad. But Putin gave permission to Gazprome without any EIA.
  • Europe should not buy oil from Russia, because it strengthens Putin’s hand, he uses the money to destabilize the region (Ukraine).

Mock MCQs

Q. Find Incorrect statements

  1. There are no sacred groves in Aravalli hills.
  2. There are no wildlife sanctuaries under Delhi Government.
  3. Both A and B
  4. Neither A no B

Q. Which of the following is/are examples of in-situ conservation?

  1. Government sets up vulture restaurants.
  2. Government sets up captive breeding facilities for vultures.
  3. Both A and B
  4. Neither A nor B

Q. Which of the following will help in Vulture conservation program?

  1. Ban meloxicam and diclofenac.
  2. Vasectomy program for feral dogs.
  3. Ban the burial of dead animals

Correct choices

  1. Only 1 and 2
  2. Only 1 and 3
  3. Only 2 and 3
  4. Only 3