Melghat and Pench Tiger Reserves Record 78% Survival Rate for Released Vultures

Melghat and Pench Tiger Reserves in Maharashtra have recorded India's highest survival rates for captive-bred vultures released into the wild, reaching up to 78 per cent.

The milestone was marked on 10 September, 2026, as India's vulture conservation breeding programme completed 25 years of operations. Maharashtra has now emerged as the leading state in the nation's efforts to revive vulture populations.

Over the 25 years of the breeding initiative, which involves the Bombay Natural History Society and conservation partners, more than 800 vultures spanning three species have been bred in captivity.

Conservationists associated with the programme noted that while captive breeding has shown strong results, the primary challenge has been successfully reintroducing the birds into natural habitats. The survival figures from Melghat and Pench signal progress in establishing self-sustaining wild populations.