The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which has successfully bred more than 800 vultures through its conservation breeding programme across India, is set to release six vultures into the wild in January 2026. BNHS scientists announced that the final dates are being confirmed to release three male and three female slender-billed and white-rumped vultures—each between two and three years old—in Kamrup and Biswanath districts of Assam. All six birds were bred at the BNHS Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre in Rani, Kamrup.
BNHS Senior Scientist Dr. Sachin Ranade explained that Kamrup and Biswanath lie within the vultures’ natural range and already host small flocks. Biswanath’s closeness to Kaziranga National Park makes it ideal for reintroduction. The vultures will first undergo a three-month acclimatisation period to adapt to the wild and observe other scavengers after being raised in captivity.
BNHS scientists note that vultures are long-lived birds, maturing around five years and living up to 50–60 years, with strong immunity that makes them less prone to infections. The parent birds for the upcoming release were sourced from various parts of Assam. While the slender-billed vultureis mainly found in Assam. This release marks another significant milestone in India’s efforts to revive vulture populations, which had drastically declined due to veterinary drug toxicity in past decades.
