At the bend of the Peddavagu river, a rocky cliff majestically rises 100 ft into the azure sky but stands lonely with a jagged rock face. Known as the Pala Rapu cliff, this remote spot within the Bejjur reserve forest in Adilabad district of Telangana is drawing global attention in recent times.

A unique open-air restaurant at this isolated location prepares specialised cuisine devoid of the dangerous Diclofenac drug.

“Spread over two acres, the exclusive patch atop the Pala Rapu cliff is being developed as a vulture restaurant, where the near-extinct long-billed vultures can feast on unadulterated flesh,” says Subba Rao, a resident of nearby Nandigaon village, who turned bird tracker and was promptly deployed by the forest department to crusade for the vultures.

These big birds with an average wing span of over 5 ft once ruled the skies in thousands, gliding on the thermals effortlessly. Vultures are natural scavengers as they feed on dead and sick animals; this, in turn, prevents the spread of diseases. However, their numbers have been dwindling since the early ’90s — they were almost wiped out by the veterinary drug Diclofenac used to treat cattle.

“When vultures feed on carcasses injected with Diclofenac drugs, they experience kidney failure and die within days,” explains Dr Sudhir Reddy, a veterinarian who runs the Reddy BioScience Solutions in Mattawan, Michigan, USA. He was recently in India to catch a glimpse of the rare flock of vultures at Pala Rapu cliff.

“Diclofenac was banned in India in 2006 yet used by villagers for their cattle, particularly cows. If an endangered species is experiencing catastrophic population declines, as high as 90 per cent, even a little news is good news. Pala Rapu cliff has a tiny breeding colony with a viable population of 20 vultures,” says Ravikanth Manchiryala, a biologist stationed as a field researcher in this region for two years now, after the discovery of the vultures. He works together with five tribal youngsters from nearby hamlets who serve as bird trackers.

The team keeps a continuous watch on the precious flock roosting and resting on the cliff. They ensure the vultures are not disturbed and their feed provided at regular intervals, and maintain a log as the birds go about breeding, brooding and feeding.

“Presently 10 pairs of vultures are busy building nests; each lays a single egg and raises the chick to adulthood in a span of about 70 days. These activities keep the rustic group of bird trackers in an enthusiastic mood.

They are each paid ₹10,000 every month, under the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) scheme, and provided binoculars, shoes and jungle garments. This sum is generous, according to rural standards, and so is their devotion to their daily duties,” says Bejjur Forest Range Officer M Ram Mohan, who prepared an extensive conservation plan for the vultures after their hideout was first discovered three years ago by nomadic villagers.

Ram Mohan explains how the loss of vultures had a cascading effect on the hinterland. Without these scavengers to feed on diseased cows and dead wildlife, the number of ferocious feral dogs increased, as did the incidence of human disease and dog bites. Now the vultures are reclaiming their ancient territory, slowly but steadily. He also explains how cattle is bought from the villagers, quarantined for a few days, and medically tested to ensure they are free of Diclofenac before being served fresh at the vulture restaurant.

Among the reasons for the revival of the vultures seems to be the shutting down of the 80-year-old Sirpur-Kaghaznagar paper plant, located 50 km from Bejjur, in 2014. The manufacturer was polluting land, water and air by spewing poisonous liquids into the Peddavagu river, which meanders at the base of the vulture cliff. Today, the river has rejuvenated naturally and much cleaner waters flow, bringing relief to both vultures and the people in seven surrounding villages.

Other reasons are the availability of organic food devoid of drugs, fresh drinking water and cosy nesting ledges of the Pala Rapu cliff in the alluring remoteness of Bejjur. With a favourable ecology, the forest department is trying to declare a 140 sqkm swathe of land in Bejjur as a Vulture Sanctuary benefiting both vultures and villagers.

The writer is a photographer and wildlife enthusiast based in Noida

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