Feral Dogs Pose Severe Competition to Vultures at Thar Dumpsites, Finds Study

A study published in the journal Biological Conservation has revealed that free-ranging feral dogs present a critical challenge to scavenging vultures feeding at carcass dumpsites in Rajasthan’s Thar desert. Focusing on the Jorbeer Conservation Reserve near Bikaner, researchers observed that aggressive interference by dogs reduced the duration vultures spent feeding on carcasses by half compared to canine-free enclosures, while also shifting raptor activity predominantly to afternoon hours.

Significance for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health

Understanding inter-species conflict at supplementary feeding sites is vital for India's wildlife recovery programmes:

• Nutritional Deficits: Canine packs consume substantial amounts of meat and aggressively drive away scavengers, limiting caloric intake for endangered migratory species such as the Himalayan griffon and Eurasian griffon, alongside resident Egyptian vultures and steppe eagles.
• Disruption of Foraging Habits: Predictable, unmanaged dumpsites can habituate vultures and suppress natural foraging across wider landscapes, while dominant raptors crowd out subordinate species when access is constrained by dogs.
• Canine Pressure on Native Fauna: The findings highlight the broader ecological menace of free-ranging dogs, which have been implicated in attacks on species such as blackbucks, desert foxes, olive ridley turtles, and snow leopards.

Background and Conservation Needs

India’s vulture populations crashed catastrophically by over 90% during the 1990s due to renal failure caused by veterinary diclofenac in livestock carcasses. The subsequent scarcity of avian scavengers historically led to an explosion in feral dog numbers and a surge in rabies risks. To ensure vulture recovery, ecological researchers recommend creating dispersed, dog-proof feeding enclosures—similar to managed vulture restaurants used internationally—alongside strategic population control of feral canines to provide safe carrion zones.