Rare sighting of Himalayan vulture in Singapore, viral video shows it was struggling to fly near ECP
The large bird was found to be distressed and weak after it was rescued by animal welfare volunteers.
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SINGAPORE: A huge Himalayan vulture caused a stir on the road and online over the weekend after it was spotted around East Coast Parkway (ECP) on Sunday (Jan 11).
One video posted on the Nature Society Singapore's Facebook page showed the large bird – known for eating the flesh of dead animals – on a grass patch by the roadside, flapping its wings to try to take flight.
Another video on TikTok showed it walking along the shoulder of the expressway.
Separately, birdwatchers reported seeing a Himalayan vulture along Tanah Merah Coast Road on Saturday. It is unclear whether it is the same bird.
In response to queries from CNA, chief executive officer Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan of the non-governmental organisation Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said that it received a call about a distressed large bird, later identified as a Himalayan vulture, that was struggling after being stranded in a canal and along the ECP.
A rescue team led by three volunteers was deployed and safely rescued the male bird, Mr Kalai added. The vulture is now under the care of ACRES' veterinary team.
"Dehydration, overall weakness, and overall exhaustion from the long voyage seem to be the initial diagnosis," Mr Kalai told CNA.
"We are still assessing it and hope to fully rehabilitate the large bird for release in the near future."
The website of the Bird Society of Singapore states that Himalayan vultures are migratory and are usually spotted in this region between late December and early January.
Most Himalayan vulture sightings here have been recorded in the central and western parts of the island, with fewer sightings in the north and east.
Himalayan vultures are birds of prey native to the Himalayas, the foothills of North and Northeastern India, and the Tibetan Plateau.
With a wingspan of between 2.5m and 3m and weighing up to 12kg, it is the second-largest Old World vulture species.
Old World vulture species are from Africa, Asia and Europe, while New World vultures are from the Americas, the National Geographic site states. Only Old World vultures can make alarm and other calls, whereas New World vultures hiss or grunt instead because they have have no voice box.
These birds are scavengers that feed mainly on dead or decaying flesh, playing an important role in the ecosystem by clearing animal carcasses.
Young Himalayan vultures are likelier to be found at lower altitudes and their presence has been recorded across northern India, Nepal and parts of Southeast Asia. The younger ones are noted to have distinctive, long and broad wings, as well as a short, wedge-shaped tail.
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