The Nature Conservation and Study Centre (NCSC), in partnership with the Research Association of Hattisar (RAH), Nepal Student Association of Microbiology (NSAM), and The Himalayan Raptors, is proud to announce the completion of our full-scale celebration for International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) 2025.

Our week-long program, running across multiple districts, successfully leveraged scientific expertise, field-based research, and youth engagement to amplify the critical message: Vultures Matter! This coordinated effort highlights NCSC’s commitment to community-led conservation and capacity building.

Scientific Engagement & Expert Insights

Event 01: “Vulture Matters: Awareness Talk”

• Completion: Successfully held on September 6, 2025, at the Central Campus of Technology, Dharan.
• Highlight: We were honored by the presence of guest speaker Mr. Krishna Prasad Bhusal, Member of the IUCN SSC Vulture Specialist Group and Conservationist at Bird Conservation Nepal.
• Impact: The session provided crucial, data-driven insights into the success stories of vulture conservation in Nepal, the persistent challenge of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), and the future research and policy needs. This set the academic and expert tone for our entire IVAD campaign.

Field-Based Research & Community Hikes

NCSC mobilized participants for two separate bird hikes, integrating citizen science with appreciation for raptor habitats. These initiatives provided opportunities for direct observation, a key element of NCSC’s research approach.

Event 02: Bird Hike to Chinde Dada

• Completion: Successfully conducted on Bhadra 22, 2082 (Sunday).
• Focus: Participants explored the habitat of various bird species, specifically focusing on raptors and vultures, reinforcing the link between habitat health and species survival.

Event 03: Bird Hike to Danabari

• Completion: Successfully completed as part of the IVAD 2025 activities.
• Focus: This second hike further extended our reach, enabling participants to engage in direct observation and learn about the ecological significance of various avian species in their natural environment.

Youth Mobilization: School Awareness Programs

Engaging young minds is central to long-term conservation. NCSC is thrilled to report the enthusiastic participation in two focused school programs:

Event 04: Suryodaya English Secondary School

• Completion: Awareness Program successfully conducted.
• Goal: The session served as a meaningful platform to highlight the ecological importance of vultures and the positive role students can play in conservation advocacy.

Event 05: Shree Durga Secondary School, Morang

• Completion: Vulture Awareness Program successfully completed.
• Goal: The program provided valuable insights into the vital role of vultures in maintaining ecosystem balance, underscoring the urgency of conservation efforts to an actively engaged student and teacher community.

The Vulture Poster Design Competition (Closed for Submission)

The multi-week “VULTURE POSTER DESIGN COMPETITION 2025,” led by our partners, concluded its submission phase on September 22, 2025.

• Participation: We received a fantastic number of submissions under themes like “Vulture: Nature’s Clean-up Crew” and “Wings of Hope.”
• Next Step: The entries are now undergoing a crucial two-stage assessment: 60% expert evaluation and 40% public voting. We are finalizing the technical evaluation to move to the public voting phase soon.

A Collective Commitment to Conservation

The sheer scale and success of these five events demonstrate the collective commitment of our partners, students, and local communities. NCSC is committed to leveraging these engagements to strengthen the Vulture Safe Zone (VSZ) initiative in Nepal.

We sincerely thank every participant, collaborator, and supporter, including Bird Conservation Nepal and the community of Dharan, for reinforcing the message that we must all work together for a safer future for vultures.

We are now preparing the finalists for the public voting phase of the Poster Competition! Would you like NCSC to draft the announcement for the public voting phase of the Vulture Poster Design Competition?