Asian King vulture conservation centre

• The world’s first conservation and breeding center for the Asian king vulture is set to open in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj district.
• The center, named Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre (JCBC), is spread over 1.5 hectares and is designed to maintain a sustainable population of the species by breeding king vultures in captivity and releasing them into the wild.
• The JCBC, worth approximately Rs 15 crore, features multiple aviaries, including breeding and holding aviaries, nursery aviaries for juveniles, hospital and recovery aviaries, a food processing center, and an incubation center.
• The forest department has partnered with the Bombay Natural History Society for technical guidance.

About Asian King vulture

• It is also called the Red headed vulture or Pondicherry Vulture and was extensively found in India but its numbers drastically reduced after diclofenac poisoning.
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1