Madhya Pradesh’s Winter Vulture Census 2026 has emerged as one of India’s most significant wildlife success stories, with the state’s vulture population crossing 14,000—up from 12,981 in 2025. This sharp rise not only underlines the effectiveness of state-led conservation measures but also places Madhya Pradesh at the forefront of India’s broader effort to revive one of its most threatened scavenger species.

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav earlier this year released five rare vultures—one Cinereous and four Indian Long-billed vultures—into the wild after fitting them with radio collars. The Halali Reservoir and its surrounding hilly terrain—including areas such as Bhojpur Road and Keeratnagar—provide a safe habitat and an abundant food supply for vultures, thereby contributing to a continuous rise in their numbers within this region. Primarily, Indian Long-billed and White-backed vultures are observed here, alongside a significant population of Egyptian vultures.The vulture population in the state is witnessing a steady increase, driven by sustained conservation efforts, the availability of secure habitats, and an ample food supply. This success has established the state as a national leader in the field of vulture conservation

What makes this year’s census especially noteworthy is its adoption of digital monitoring tools that mirror the growing national shift toward technology-driven wildlife management. For the first time, Madhya Pradesh used the EpiCollect5 mobile application to carry out synchronized counting across all 16 Forest Circles and 9 Tiger Reserves. The app enabled geo-tagged field entries, instant uploads, and real-time validation, reducing duplication and improving accuracy in difficult terrain. This approach marks a major leap from conventional manual surveys and offers a replicable model for future national vulture monitoring exercises.The census recorded seven vulture species across the state, including the critically endangered Indian Long-billed Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Red-headed Vulture, and Himalayan Griffon highlighting Madhya Pradesh’s rich avian diversity and its importance as a critical landscape for scavenger conservation.

At a time when India is still recovering from the catastrophic vulture crash of the 1990s—largely triggered by veterinary diclofenac—such gains are ecologically vital. Vultures act as nature’s clean-up crew, rapidly disposing of carcasses, curbing disease spread, and maintaining the health of rural ecosystems.A comparison with broader national conservation trends shows Madhya Pradesh is now setting the benchmark in combining habitat protection with science-backed monitoring. While other states such as Maharashtra have also begun satellite-tagged releases and tracking programmes, Madhya Pradesh has gone a step further by integrating census technology, field surveillance, and active species recovery on a landscape scale.  According to reports the state also released five GPS-tagged endangered vultures at Halali Dam in Raisen to study movement patterns, nesting behaviour, and threat zones such as poisoning hotspots and unsafe power lines.Region-wise gains further highlight the strength of Madhya Pradesh’s vulture habitats. Raisen Forest Division led the state with 1,532 vultures, making the Halali Dam landscape a flagship conservation hub. South Panna recorded 1,127 vultures on the very first day of counting, while Rewa also posted encouraging numbers. These areas offer ideal cliff habitats, safe roosting sites, access to food, and reduced human disturbance—factors essential for long-term species recovery.

By blending digital census tools, habitat management, and satellite-based tracking, Madhya Pradesh is not just protecting vultures—it is creating a robust conservation template that can strengthen India’s future national bird monitoring programmes. The state’s success demonstrates how technology and targeted policy can help restore endangered species while improving ecosystem resilience.

Meanwhile in interesting and rare cross-border wildlife rescue, an injured Cinereous Vulture from Halali Dam, MP, was traced and rescued in Pakistan after being caught in a severe hailstorm. The bird, fitted with a GPS-GSM tracking device by Van Vihar National Park officials, had been released into the wild on March 30 and reached Pakistan by April 6.When its tracking signal stopped on April 7, Van Vihar officials alerted WWF India, which coordinated with WWF Pakistan to locate the bird. With help from local forest teams, the vulture was rescued from villagers in Pakistan’s Khanewal district. This marks a first-of-its-kind international effort to track and save an injured tagged vulture.

According to reports the Wildlife officials in Pakistan said a powerful hailstorm hit Khanewal and Multan on April 7, grounding both the Cinereous Vulture and a Eurasian Griffon. The birds were given first aid and shifted to the Changa Manga Vulture Conservation Centre for treatment. The Cinereous Vulture suffered minor injuries and is now recovering well.Van Vihar officials remain in touch with WWF Pakistan for regular health updates. However, the bird’s tracking device is still missing. Authorities are trying to trace it, and if it cannot be found, they may provide a new device so the vulture’s future movements can continue to be monitored.The vulture was originally rescued in January from Parsulia village in Madhya Pradesh’s Shajapur district and treated at Van Vihar before being released. Its journey through Rajasthan into Pakistan is believed to follow a natural migratory route used by birds travelling between India and Central Asian countries.
This rescue is being seen as an important step for vulture conservation, showing how technology, research, and international cooperation can help protect endangered migratory birds. A similar tracking study in 2025 had helped map the 4,300-km journey of a Eurasian Griffon from India to Kazakhstan and back, offering valuable insights into cross-border migration routes.