On April 18, 2025, Madhya Pradesh achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first state in India to release captive-bred vultures into the wild. The initiative, led by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, is a major step under the Vulture Action Plan 2020–25 to revive endangered vulture populations decimated by toxic veterinary drugs.

Key Points:

• Six vultures (3 White-rumped and 3 Long-billed) were released into the wild from the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre (VCBC) in Bhopal.
• Each bird is fitted with a GPS tag to track movement and monitor adaptation in the wild.
• The released vultures are part of the first successful breeding and release program in India, carried out after years of conservation breeding.
• The Vulture Action Plan 2020–25, under which the release was conducted, focuses on reviving critically endangered vulture species across the country.
• The primary cause of vulture decline in India was the use of the drug diclofenac in livestock, which proved fatal when consumed by scavenging vultures.
• The success of this release represents hope for ecosystem health, as vultures play a vital role in carcass disposal and disease control.
• The initiative is seen as a model for other states aiming to restore vulture populations and biodiversity.

This first-of-its-kind release is a hopeful beginning for the revival of one of nature’s most efficient scavengers.