Northern Thailand: Endangered red-headed vulture lays egg in sanctuary in Uthai Thani

A significant milestone has been reached in Thailand‘s conservation efforts with the laying of an egg by a critically endangered red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) in Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary, Uthai Thani.

The exciting development was announced on social media by Ornyupa Sangkamarn, secretary-general of the Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation, who remains hopeful about the egg’s fertility and successful hatching.

The egg was laid by a female red-headed vulture named Ming, following a mating event on November 23. The male vulture, Pock, previously resided in captivity at Korat Zoo before being relocated to the sanctuary for the breeding and reintroduction initiative. Ming and Pock’s recent mating marks their first since being paired together at the sanctuary’s breeding site in February of the previous year, sparking an air of anticipation and optimism among those involved in the programme.

This breeding programme is a five-year collaborative effort between the Zoological Park Organisation (ZPO), the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Kasetsart University and the Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation. Running from October 2020 until September 2025, the aim of the project is to breed and reintroduce red-headed vultures into the wild. Tragically, the last large group of 35 red-headed vultures vanished from the sanctuary in February 1992 after ingesting a poisoned deer carcass left by tiger hunters, reported Bangkok Post.

In Thailand, the red-headed vulture is a protected species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists it as nearly critically endangered. The recent news of the egg’s laying is a glimmer of hope for the species’ revival in the wild.

In related news, in a heartwarming spectacle that promises to turn the tide for a critically endangered species, Chester Zoo, in the United Kingdom witnesses the extraordinary birth of a baby rhino. Experts claim this event could be the lifeline needed to rescue the eastern black rhino from the brink of extinction. Read more about this story HERE.