GYPS Vultures:
Moyar valley is the biggest nesting colony of critically endangered Gyps vultures in the wild.
- Moyar Valley, also known as Maayar Valley, stretches approximately 85 kilometers from Gudalur through the core area of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
- The Gyps vultures, including the White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Indian Vulture (G. indicus), and Slender-billed Vulture (G. tenuirostris), have faced rapid population declines since the mid-1990s in India.
- These vultures are endemic to South Asia and play a crucial role in the ecosystem by scavenging carcasses.
- The primary cause of their decline was poisoning due to the widespread veterinary use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac in cattle.
- As a result, all three species were listed as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.
