THE SAFE ZONE

IT’S AN IMPORTANT STEP,” says Ishana Thapa, CEO of Bird Conservation Nepal. “After all our efforts, to have been proven scientifically as the first ever Vulture Safe Zone is quite an achievement. It’s the first in the world.”

There hasn’t been much good news for the world’s rapidly declining vulture populations in the past few decades. But the recent announcement of the first ever Vulture Safe Zone (VSZ) in Nepal offers a glimmer of hope for the raptors, and could be key to securing their future.

The Gandaki-Lumbini VSZ encompasses 7,500km² in south-west Nepal, the buffer zone taking in Chitwan National Park. “In the same way people have a protected area for tigers or other animals, a Vulture Safe Zone is a protected area for vultures,” Thapa explains.

There are 23 vulture species in the world. These often underrated birds have experienced 90-99 per cent declines throughout Asia and serious declines in many