First time in Assam, five Slender-billed Vultures have been reintroduced at the Soft Release Centre in Kaziranga National Park.

March 21 – 2026 :
On 21st March, in a joint initiative of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), five captive-bred Slender-billed Vultures from the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre at Rani, Assam, were translocated to the newly built Vulture Conservation and Soft Release Centre at Tewaripal Forest Camp area under Biswanath Wildlife Division. The translocation was led by BNHS biologist Gitartha Borah.

The inauguration of the Soft Release Centre, constructed near Tewaripal Forest Camp, was carried out by Dr. Vinay Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Assam. The event was attended by Dr. Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, Ritu Paban Borah, DFO Biswanath, Piraisoodan B, Director of Nameri National Park, Praveen Pardeshi, President of BNHS, Kishore Rithe, Director of BNHS, Dr. Sachin Ranade, Assistant Director of BNHS, along with representatives of local Eco-Development Committees (EDCs).

Under this collaborative project of BNHS, Assam Forest Department, and Kaziranga National Park, the vultures will be kept in the aviary for 2–3 months before being released into the wild through the soft release method. This effort aims to stabilize and increase the declining population of Slender-billed Vultures in Assam. The step taken by the Assam Forest Department is considered one of the most significant in vulture conservation in India.

It is noteworthy that since the establishment of the Vulture Breeding Centre at Rani in 2007, 56 Slender-billed Vultures have been bred successfully. The centre has indicated that it can release 5–10 vultures into the wild every year. For monitoring the vultures translocated to Biswanath’s Soft Release Centre, advanced solar-powered transformers will be installed, as informed by BNHS coordinator Gitartha Borah.