Why in news? Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to begin the first synchronised vulture in Wayanad wildlife sanctuary.

Highlights:

• Every year the Forest departments in the three States organise separate surveys at different times to count the remaining vulture population in South India.
• The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to the tiger reserves of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu, is the lone region of vultures thrive in the State.
• The sanctuary harbours White-rumped vultures and Red-headed vultures.
• Occasional sightings of Long-billed vultures have also been reported in the sanctuary.
• Vultures faced a catastrophic population decline during the 2000s when the species was exposed to the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac used as a painkiller for cattle.

About Wayanad wildlife Sanctuary

• It is the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala.
• The sanctuary is now an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and comes under project elephant.
• It is bounded by protected area network of Nagarhole National Park and Bandipur National Park and Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu.
• Part of the Deccan Plateau and the vegetation is predominantly of the south Indian moist deciduous teak forests.