Work

Linear power infrastructure and vulture electrocution risk: mitigation through carcass dump relocation in Sudhauwala, Dehradun, India

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Vultures are among the most threatened groups of birds globally, having undergone severe population declines across Asia and Africa due to multiple anthropogenic pressures, including poisoning, veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), food scarcity, belief-based use, and infrastructure-related mortality. Among these, electrocution from power infrastructure has emerged as an important but underreported threat. This study documents electrocution mortality of vultures in the Sudhauwala region of Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, based on field observations conducted between May 2011 and February 2014. A total of 34 surveys recorded 743 individual vultures belonging to five species. During this period, 46 vulture carcasses attributable to electrocution were documented in proximity to high-tension power transmission structures. The highest proportion of mortality relative to observations was recorded for Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis, followed by Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus, and Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus. Although surveys were conducted on a non-systematic basis, the number of mortality events observed suggests that electrocution may represent a significant localized threat, particularly for long-lived scavengers such as vultures. Based on these observations, the carcass dumping site that attracted vultures to the area was relocated approximately 2.4 km away from high-risk infrastructure in coordination with local authorities. Subsequent observations indicated continued use of the new site by vultures, with no mortality events recorded during limited post-relocation monitoring. This study highlights the risk posed by power infrastructure near feeding sites and demonstrates that relocation of carcass dumping sites can serve as a practical mitigation measure to reduce electrocution risk. The findings contribute to improving understanding of infrastructure-related threats to vultures and inform conservation planning in human-dominated landscapes.

Source: Journal of Threatened Taxa

DOI: 10.11609/jott.9501.18.8.29390-29400