Haldwani, Nov. 16 -- A joint study by the Uttarakhand forest department and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has found that endangered vultures from the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) are flying across international bord ers into Nepal in search of food. The findings have prompted forest authorities to intensify their research into vulture behaviour, movement and population dynamics, forest officials said. CTR director Dr Saket Badola said the park, in collaboration with WWF, began a focussed conservation study last year to protect dwindling vulture populations. "As part of the project, radio transmitters were fitted on five vultures from a resident flock inside Corbett. These radio tags are giving us crucial data on their lifestyle, daily flight paths and long-distance movement," he said. "The tracking revealed that vultures cover 700 to 800 km, crossing from Corbett to areas as far as Nepal. Their movement has also been recorded between Rajaji National Park and remote regions of Nepal," he added. Badola said the new insights will help shape future conservation strategies. Bird expert AG Ansari said vultures around Corbett are typically seen in open plains and along riverbanks near human settlements. "They are known to travel 400-500 km in search of food. Such long-distance flights are becoming increasingly common due to declining food availability," he said. According to forest officials, 23 species of vultures are found globally, with India hosting the majority. Of the nine species recorded in the country, six are resident while three migrate from other regions To tackle the rapid decline in vulture numbers, the Centre is implementing the Vulture Action Plan 2020-2025....