Experts have stressed the need for strengthening regional cooperation to protect vultures from extinction in South Asia.

It is high time to work together to save the nature cleaners from extinction as the use of Diclofenac and Ketoprofen, both poisonous to vultures, in animals has led to the massive mortality and a sharp decline in the vulture population.

The Bangladesh government has already taken initiatives to save vultures, and has successfully implemented all international programmes taken to protect vultures from extinction. The government banned Diclofenac and Ketoprofen and Bangladesh Forest Department in December 2014 declared two safe zones for vultures where ‘zero tolerance’ is shown towards using Diclofenac and other harmful veterinary drugs.

The designated areas are Sylhet, parts of Dhaka and Chittagong covering an area of 19,663.18 sq kilometre as the Vulture Safe Zone-1, and Khulna, Barishal and parts of Dhaka covering an area of 27,717.26 sq km as the Vulture Safe Zone-2.

The ministry formed a vulture recovery committee in 2013 and formulated a long-term vulture conservation action plan, which is a significant initiative in vulture conservation.

New harmful drugs like Diclofenac have flooded the market and that is why it is urgent to ban these drugs to save vultures. 

With sincere efforts from all, we will be able to take an effective regional initiative to protect vultures, the friends of the nature and environment

source: BSS, Dhaka