HIMALAYAN GRIFFON (GYPS HIMALAYENSIS)

News: The Himalayan Griffon is a large Old World vulture species found in high-altitude regions of the Himalayas and Central Asia. It was recently spotted in Melghat (Amravati, Maharashtra) due to the presence of released captive-bred vultures

ABOUT

• Common Name: Himalayan Griffon
• Found along: Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, central Asian mountains
• Mostly stays at high altitudes
• Migration: Primarily altitudinal migration, occasionally migrates to northern India
• Recent sighting in Maharashtra (Melghat) shows ecological movement
• One of the largest vultures in India
• Diurnal (active during day)
• IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Ecological Importance

• Vultures are called “Nature’s Sanitation Workers.”
• Feed on dead animals (scavengers)
• Prevent spread of: Anthrax, Rabies, Other zoonotic diseases
• Maintain ecosystem health
• Example: After vulture decline in India (due to Diclofenac) àIncrease in stray dog population, rise in rabies cases, ecological imbalance