Breeding Programme   

    
The Vulture Conservation Centre
The Project has developed extensive techniques to save the vulture population. WWF – Pakistan established a “Vulture Conservation Centre” in the Changa Manga forest, 80 km southwest of Lahore. The facility’s main objective is to retain the current population along with a captive breeding program in order to increase the population.

The purpose built aviary has been built with The Hawk Conservancy Trust as a technical partner on land provided by The Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department, Government of Pakistan.  The Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi provided the funding necessary for the construction and continues to act as the main donor for the running of the facility. WWF – US carried out a survey in conjunction with WWF – Pakistan and supported the effective lobbying against the use and distribution of Diclofenac Sodium by veterinarian and pharmaceutical companies. 

Recently WWF – Pakistan has also been invited to join the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission as a member of the newly formed Vulture Specialist Group. This initiative will encourage the flow of technical knowledge and expertise amongst all its members.

Breeding Program
The aviary can house up to 30 birds. The maximum number of birds the facility has seen is 22 birds at one time. The facility is made up of the main aviary along with four small breeding aviaries. The sex of a vulture cannot be determined by looking at the birds, therefore it is determined genetically. The birds are then ring tagged for identification. This is very important to monitor their behaviour. The birds are also implanted with microchips imbedded the skin for identification purposes.  Chicks are kept away from the larger birds in the smaller aviaries until they are ready to be released into the larger aviary with the rest of the birds.

The birds are fed a healthy diet of donkeys and goats. The Project tries to feed the birds a varied diet. The goats are organically reared on the Project site. Once breeding reaches a level where the species can self sustain a safe population, the birds will be released into the wild.