Project Area:  Sunsari (Koshi Tappu)
Project Duration: Five Years (Jan 2008 to Dec.2013)
Project Coordinator: Global Environmental Protection Mission, Nepal

Involvement:       Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Government of Nepal Local CBOs, and NGOs Local People and Community Koshi Tappu Wild Life Conservation ,Nepal Ministry Of  Environment, Government Of Nepal

Objectives: Conservation of vulture for the conservation of environment and prevention from diseases caused by animals like wild dogs (rabies); the specific objectives are:           

• Conservation of vultures.
• Eradication of problems caused by the pollution due to carcasses.
• They can eat rotten flesh containing anthrax, botulism, and cholera bacteria, which are destroyed in the stomach.
• Vultures as scavanger help for protection of cycle of ecosystem.

Problems : The vulture population   has declined by up to 95% recently in the past decade, and two or three of the species of vulture in South Asia are nearing extinction. This has been caused by the practice of giving  cattles diclofenac, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with anti-inflammatory and pain killing actions. Diclofenac administration keeps animals that are ill or in pain working on the land for longer, but, if the ill animals die, their carcasses contain diclofenac. Farmers leave the dead animals out in the open, relying on vultures to tidy up. Diclofenac present in carcass flesh is eaten by the vultures, which are sensitive to diclofenac, suffering kidney failure, visceral gout, and death as a result of diclofenac poisoning.
These birds are of great value as scavengers, especially in hot regions. They can eat rotten flesh containing anthrax, botulism, and cholera bacteria, which are destroyed in the stomach.
The decline in vultures has led to hygiene problems   as carcasses of dead animals now tend to rot, or be eaten by rats or wild dogs, rather than be tidied up by vultures. Rabies among these scavengers is a major health threat .


Activities: 

• The law is made by government for banning the use of diclofenac as pain killer in cattles and alternate of this medicine Meloxicam should be used.
• Conservation park for vultures are made,where they are provided diclofenac free carcass.
•  The vulture's nest is a simple cavity, often located on a cliff or high in a tree.