Happy International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD09)!

A white-rumped vulture in Cambodia's Northern Plains. Credit © Allan Michaud

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Vulture populations have declined more than 95% in South Asia due to diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug used on cattle which acts as a poison to vultures. Just in time for International Vulture Awareness Day (today, September 5, 2009) the Wildlife Conservation Society has announced that populations have been on the rise in Cambodia, a new population of white-rumped vultures (pictured above) has been in located in the country's Northern Plains, and eighteen new vulture fledglings took flight this year, oh happy day!

International Vulture Awareness Day will focus on promoting the conservation and awareness of vultures with events around the world -- from birth watching to visiting zoos and wildlife reserves -- and online with bloggers sharing photos, videos, and posts in the IVAD09 blog festival. Visit International Vulture Awareness Day to take part in the day's virtual event.

The Wildlife Conservation Society works to save vulture populations in Cambodia with community-supported projects such as a bird nest protection program and "restaurants" which provide reliable food sources. They work with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of the Environment, WWF, BirdLife International, the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Support is provided by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF)/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).

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