Rare Himalayan vulture found in Kranji put down after health worsened: Mandai Wildlife Group
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A file photo of a Himalayan vulture. The bird was found in the Kranji area and rescued by NParks on Jan 3.
PHOTO: LIN JUNCONG JONATHAN
SINGAPORE – A rare Himalayan vulture, found in poor health by the authorities in Kranji, was put down after its condition took a turn for the worse.
The Mandai Wildlife Group, in a statement on Jan 14, said the vulture – native to mountain ranges in northern India – was rescued by the National Parks Board (NParks) and moved to Mandai Wildlife Group for treatment on Jan 3.
It was found in bad health near Neo Tiew Crescent in the Kranji area.
Checks found that the vulture, among the world’s largest birds of prey, was severely underweight, weak and heavily infested with parasites.
It was later found to have anaemia, or a shortage of red blood cells. It also had muscle injuries and its kidneys were not working properly, and it was placed in intensive care.
Mandai Wildlife Group veterinarian Charlene Yeong said: “Despite these efforts, the vulture’s condition deteriorated on the fifth day.”
The Mandai Wildlife Group veterinary team and NParks made a joint decision, the statement said, to euthanise the bird on Jan 7.
A post-mortem was later carried out to find out what caused the bird’s declining health.
After that, its carcass was transferred to Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum for education and research. The museum is in the National University of Singapore’s Kent Ridge campus.
The museum’s assistant senior curator for birds, Dr Tan Yen Yi, said: “This is the first specimen of the species for the museum and for Singapore.
“This rare specimen is a valuable addition to Singapore’s natural heritage collection.”
Himalayan vulture sightings on the rise
Dr Yeong said recent sightings of Himalayan vultures
Younger vultures tend to venture farther and can end up in areas with fewer food sources linked to habitat loss, she added.
On Jan 11, a Himalayan vulture spotted along the ECP
The bird, which was taken into Acres’ care, was found to be dehydrated, and generally weak and exhausted from the long voyage.
