International Journal of Forest, Animal and Fisheries Research (IJFAF) ISSN: 2456-8791 [Vol-6, Issue-3, May-Jun, 2022] Issue DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijfaf.6.3 Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijfaf.6.3.3 Int. J. Forest Animal Fish. Res. www.aipublications.com/ijfaf Page | 17 Sighting of critically-endangered White-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis (J.F. Gmelin, 1788) in Krusadai Island, Rameswaram, India Vidya Padmakumar Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Jnanabharathi, Karnataka- 560056. E-mail- vidyapkumar3@gmail.com Received: 18 May 2022; Received in revised form: 05 Jun 2022; Accepted: 12 Jun 2022; Available online:17 Jun 2022 ©2022 The Author(s). Published by AI Publications. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Abstract— The most adept scavengers in ecology, vultures, are on the edge of collapse. The Indian subcontinent has nine species of vultures, five of which belong to the genus Gyps and the others are the least impact. The White-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis, Long-billed vulture Gyps indicus, and Slender- billed Gyps tenuirostris vultures were originally and until lately the most numerous variety in India. Nevertheless, during the last ten, the abundance of these vultures has plummeted across the country. The current study reports Gyps bengalensis for the first time sighted in cauldrons on the desolate Krusadai Island, located south of Pamban Island in the Gulf of Mannar. The finding of the cauldron highlights the need for long-term research into the region to locate nesting places and aid conservation and management. Keywords— White-rumped vulture, Gyps bengalensis, Krusadai Island, Nesting. I. INTRODUCTION A biome is regarded as stable if it contains various amounts of species in their niches; otherwise, it is considered imbalanced (Padmakumar et al., 2020). Any of these species in distress not only causes the food chain to collapse but also causes chaos in the current food web (Sutherland et al., 2004). Vultures are primarily carrion feeders. Cathartidae, which includes new world vultures, and Accipitridae (sub-family degypiinae), which includes old world vultures, are the two families of vultures. Though new-world vultures (Condor) are not closely related to old-world vultures, their look and behavior are comparable. Both eat the meat of huge mammals that have died. Although numerous birds and animals eat carcasses, vultures compete for the worst- decomposed carcasses. Such food cannot be taken back to the nest in the beak or claws as hawks do with new kills, but must be eaten, regurgitated, and half-digested for the young. Vultures have been found to be able to digest most pathogenic organisms from carcasses (Singh, 1999). Gyps vultures are found throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, and there are eight different species. They are all compulsive scavengers, eating largely on the corpses of huge ungulates and breeding and brooding on cliffs or even in trees, frequently in colonies. They fly significant distances from nesting and roost in search of ungulate corpses using energetically efficient soaring flight (Houston, 1974; Ruxton and Houston, 2004). Gyps vultures are thought to have developed alongside enormous herds of migratory ungulates, preying on the carcasses of ill, wounded, or depredated animals (Mundy et al., 1992; Deborah et al., 2008). These herds have vanished from much of the world's Gyps vulture range, with just a few huge protected areas left. Understanding the ecological variables impacting endangered species' large-scale distribution and abundance is critical for defining management, making recommendations, and comprehending population trends (Sutherland and Green, 2004). India has nine vulture species, five of which are members of the genus Gyps. The Oriental White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Long- billed Vulture Gyps indicus and Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris are permanent inhabitants, whereas the Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus and Himalayan Griffon Gyps