Safe Havens for Vultures: Bangladesh’s Unusual “Restaurants” Offer Hope for a Vanishing Species
GreenPage Report
In the early morning light of Habiganj’s Rema–Kalenga forest, a group of 13 vultures descended on an unusual dining site. A “vulture restaurant” offers livestock carcasses free from harmful drugs that have nearly eliminated the species in South Asia.
Seeing parents and chicks feeding together is now uncommon, but it shows a hopeful sign of recovery for a bird that once thrived in large numbers across the subcontinent.
In 2014, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Bangladesh’s Forest Department suggested creating safe feeding stations for vultures. While it may seem odd to establish dining spots for scavenging birds, this idea has been essential for their survival.
In just 30 years, South Asia’s vulture population declined sharply due to veterinary painkillers like diclofenac, ketoprofen, and flunixin. These drugs, used on cattle, remain in animal carcasses and cause lethal kidney failure in vultures that feed on them.
The scale of the crisis is sobering. Across the region, vultures that once numbered in the millions have dwindled to a fraction of their former population. In Bangladesh, conservationists estimate that fewer than 250 individuals of a certain species remain, mainly in the Sundarbans and Rema-Kalenga. A restaurant initiative is crucial for their continued survival success and sustainability.
This breeding season, researchers discovered 12 active nests in the forest, leading to several chicks successfully fledging thanks to safe food sources. Observers at the feeding station enjoy watching parents feed their young before they take off into the canopy.
The crisis is well-documented in science. More than 270 research studies confirm that these drugs are fatally toxic to vultures. Diclofenac has been banned in South Asia, and Bangladesh recently outlawed ketoprofen.
The increasing availability of flunixin in the local market has raised concerns among conservationists, especially since safer options like meloxicam and tolfenamic acid are available. For those working to protect vultures, the persistence of harmful drugs in veterinary use undermines years of progress.
Despite the challenges, there are signs of resilience. Earlier this year, a sick vulture chick from Rema–Kalenga was rescued, rehabilitated, and returned to the wild.
Now, it is thriving and often returns to the restaurant to feed, a small but symbolic victory. Initiatives like these demonstrate that targeted conservation measures can halt the decline—if supported by broader policy action and public awareness.
International Vulture Awareness Day, celebrated on September 6 this year, focused on the urgent need for vulture conservation and the importance of a toxin-free environment.
Bangladesh must focus on eliminating harmful veterinary drugs and creating safe habitats to protect vultures. Without these measures, a key natural waste manager vital for healthy ecosystems and disease reduction could completely vanish from the country.
The story of the Rema–Kalenga restaurant is both a warning and a source of hope. Human activity can rapidly endanger species, but scientific solutions can aid their recovery.
The remaining vultures in Habiganj represent hope for a future where these vital birds can thrive and restore their role as nature’s cleaners.
