All the hype over Ramadevarabetta being the country's first vulture sanctuary may be over nothing. For a second time in a span of a month, the sanctuary's rules were breached, putting at risk the already endangered birds.

In violation of the recent draft notification, empty liquor bottles and leftover meat were found strewn across the eco-sensitive zone outside the sanctuary in the aftermath of what was clearly an open-air party on Tuesday.

This is the second such incident flouting the Centre's SreeRamadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary Eco-sensitive Zone (SRVSEZ) draft notification and sanctuary rules

published on June 3. Last month, drones were used by a film crew in the protected area, which endangered long-billed vultures that flew nearby.

"The leftover food could have been laced with poison," said a wildlife activist. "It could have led to irreparable damage. If these activities are not stopped, it could lead to a disaster," the activist said.

This partying by an unidentified group is said to have occurred on one of hillocks on Tuesday evening. It raises the next big question: how did they manage to get inside a protected area?

"When the eco-sensitive zone notification prohibits even rock-climbing and other allied activities, how was this allowed even as ground staff was at work at the entrance," asked a source.

SENSITIVE AREA

The new notification had declared a range of 130 m to 1.8 km from the boundary of SreeRamadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary as eco-sensitive zone.

The partying is said to have occurred within this limit in the core area, which is shocking, another activist said. The sanctuary is spread across 346.62 hectares, while the eco-sensitive zone covers 756.19 hectares.

The notification called for a regulation with respect to noise pollution, air pollution, discharge of effluents, solid waste disposal, vehicular traffic, industrial units, prohibits activities such as commercial mining, stone quarrying, setting saw mills, setting up of industries causing water or air or noise or soil pollution, commercial use of firewood, use of hazardous substances, establishment of meat processing and use of diclofenac for veterinary purpose. It also prohibited rock climbing and other allied activities.

But this case was in complete violation of the draft notification. The group that partied in area left behind liquor bottles and leftover meat, which attracted the few surviving vultures.

These could have proved deadly to these birds. The death of even a single bird could chase away all of them, say conservationists. On Wednesday, the Egyptian vultures had flown down to the litter and one was even found feeding on the food.

Three long-billed vultures and two or three Egyptian vultures are spotted frequently in the area. While long-billed vultures that feed on large animals don't come down often, the Egyptian vultures are more vulnerable to such things as they feed on anything to survive.

Second such incident

This is the second case of trespassing into the protected zone. These serious breaches time and again have brought the forest department's conservation efforts under scanner.

The department claimed that though they hadn't received any information on the violations, action would be initiated in both cases after taking stock of things.

"I don't have any information (on partying and littering as of now). If it was inside the park, it would have come to me. Definitely stringent measures will be taken. If they have consumed alcohol and consumed meat, we have to find if it is inside or outside the sanctuary. If it's inside sanctuary, it's my park. If it's outside, we will see how best it can be checked," D Manjunath, deputy conservator of forests, Ramanagara, told Bangalore Mirror.

Long-billed vultures are said to exist in Ramanagara and Ballari. There are less than 20 of them left, experts say.