Population Status and Habitat Preference of Vultures in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, Southern India

Vultures are nature’s most successful scavengers, and they provide an array of ecological, economic and cultural services. There are nine species of vulture found in the Indian sub-continent, four of which are found in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve viz. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus, White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis and Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus. During this study, a total of 120 (Mean SE 2.92± 0.96) individuals of four vulture species and two old nests were recorded, with the White-rumped Vulture G. bengalensis (n=98, 3.5±1.39) being the dominant species. Among the vegetation, Thorn Forest (n=75, 4.41±2.27) attracted the greatest number of vultures. Apparently, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve still provides a sufficient number of wild ungulates as food for vultures.