Fri Sep 05 12:10:08 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten news article:
**Summary:**
To raise awareness for International Vulture Awareness Day (September 6th), a drawing competition was held in the Nilgiris region of India. Students at the Government Tribal Residential School in Bokkapuram, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), participated using natural dyes. The event was organized by Eco-Voice Trust in collaboration with the Forest Department. Experts highlighted the drastic decline of vulture populations in India due to harmful veterinary drugs like diclofenac and other threats like habitat loss and cattle poisoning. While a captive breeding program is proposed, Eco-Voice Trust advocates for declaring the region a Vulture-safe zone first, implementing stricter controls on harmful practices, and ensuring safe food availability. Additionally, Arulagam, another NGO, is running a signature campaign to support vulture conservation in the Nilgiris.
**News Article:**
**Nilgiris Students Raise Vulture Awareness Through Art as Population Plummets**
**UDHAGAMANDALAM, September 5, 2025** – In a creative effort to highlight the plight of vultures, students in the Nilgiris region participated in a drawing competition today, marking the lead-up to International Vulture Awareness Day on September 6th. The event, held at the Government Tribal Residential School in Bokkapuram, within the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), aimed to raise awareness among students and the public about the critical need for vulture conservation.
Organized by Eco-Voice Trust, in collaboration with the Forest Department, the competition saw 50 students creating artwork using natural dyes sourced from wood charcoal, turmeric, leaves, flowers, coffee powder, and clay – a nod to traditional practices.
The event served as a platform to underscore the drastic decline in India’s vulture population. M. Manigandan, a vulture researcher and founder of Eco-Voice Trust, highlighted the staggering 99.9% decrease in vulture numbers since 1980, primarily attributing it to the use of harmful veterinary painkillers, including diclofenac and other dangerous alternatives. Although diclofenac is now banned in the region, continued availability of others is still a major problem.
Beyond drug exposure, Manigandan cited habitat loss, food scarcity, climate change, and cattle poisoning as persistent threats to vulture survival.
While the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is considering a captive breeding program, Eco-Voice Trust is advocating for a more comprehensive approach. They strongly urge the declaration of the region as a “Vulture-safe zone” before breeding programs begin. This includes stricter control over harmful veterinary drugs and cattle poisoning within a 50 km radius of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, alongside ensuring the consistent availability of safe food sources.
Adding to the conservation efforts, Arulagam, another NGO dedicated to vulture protection, has launched a signature campaign from September 5th to 7th at Rose Garden in Udhagamandalam and Moyar Dam near Masinagudi. Secretary of Arulagam S. Bharathidasan urged the public to support the initiative, emphasizing the crucial role community plays in safeguarding the future of the vultures in the Nilgiris.
First Piper 