Egyptian vulture avoidance of feral dogs at cow carcasses: implications for conservation at Indian cattle dumping sites

Abstract

Vultures, one of the most threatened bird groups, face drastic population declines worldwide due to threats such as poisoning, habitat loss, and problems related to food availability. Supplementary feeding sites have been widely used to mitigate these threats and support vulture populations, but careful monitoring is required to avoid potential risks (e.g., promoting non-target species). In India, carcass dumping sites at cattle shelters or gaushalas (cow shelters) may function as unintended feeding sites for many scavengers, including threatened vultures; however, research on scavenging at these sites is limited. Using camera traps, we monitored vertebrate scavenging at 32 carcasses disposed in the carcass dumping site of a gaushala in western India, with particular focus on the endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus). We documented an assemblage of 15 vertebrate scavengers, comprising 11 avian and four mammalian species. Birds were the predominant scavengers, with Egyptian vultures being the second most frequent feeder (i.e., 71.5 % of the carcasses) after cattle egrets (Bulbucus ibis, 75.0 %), while feral dogs (Canis familiaris) dominated mammalian scavenging (68.8 %). Carcass decomposition stage and location significantly influenced the composition of scavenger assemblages. Egyptian vultures mostly fed on decaying carcasses in open areas, avoiding feral dogs that dominated fresh carcasses under forest canopy. Our study indicates that gaushalas livestock dumping sites may function as important feeding grounds for endangered vultures and other species, though feral dogs would present significant challenges and raise conservation concerns. Strategic carcass placement and dog access control might optimize the benefits of these unofficial sites for vulture conservation.