Population Surveys of Endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) in Mahasheer National Park Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

The global distribution and population of the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) has declined but the species remains poorly studied in the Azad, Jammu and Kashmir area of Pakistan. This lack of information about the species limits the ability to adopt strategies for its conservation. This study was conducted in four selected sites of northeast Pakistan to estimate the population status of Egyptian vultures in the study area. Potential sites and colonies of the Egyptian vultures were first identified and then monitored using point count methods. We counted a maximum of 121 Egyptian vultures across the four sites that were surveyed in the study area. Conservation action at the State level is needed to help protect this vulture species of global conservation concern, and our results provide a baseline from which future monitoring can proceed.