The vulture that was rescued in Siliguri on Tuesday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, Feb. 2: Two vultures, an endangered species, died of electrocution and one was rescued by foresters at Kamrangaguri on the outskirts of the town today. The foresters arrested a person who was found torturing the bird.

Kalia Murti Balamurugan, the divisional forest officer of Baikunthapur, said the rescued bird — a Himalayan griffon — was handed over to a wildlife NGO.

“Around 12 noon, Sanjay Dutta, the beat officer of Bodaganj and Gourikunda, while coming to Siliguri, saw three vultures lying near the Kamrangaguri overbridge on NH31D. After a close look, he found two of the birds dead and one alive and took the vultures to Siliguri Veterinary Hospital. The rescued bird was treated and handed over to the members of a local wildlife NGO,” Balamu rugan said.

“After preliminary examination by the vets, it appeared that the vultures died of electrocution. The third one, although does not have any external injuries, has been kept under observation by the members of Animal Link and Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (Hnaf),” he said.

The DFO said they had arrested Md Mazid, a resident of Tinbatti More, who was found beating up the vulture with a stick.

Ruhul Amin, the doctor at the veterinary hospital here, confirmed that the vultures died of electrocution.

“Burn injury was found on their wings. The three griffons were full-grown and appeared sick as if they were starved. But considering the condition of the rescued one, it seems that it can survive if proper care is taken. I have given necessary directives to the NGO members.”

Animesh Bose, the programme coordinator of Hnaf, said: “Already three species — slender billed, long billed and white backed — are almost extinct. Only the Himalayan griffons is found in this part of the region. But they, too, need conservation badly. About four years ago, we counted around 1,200 griffons in this region. The number has come down to almost 500 now. It is hightime that the forest department took immediate measures to preserve the species.”