83 countries display 8 endangered Indian vulture species on stamps; India displays only one

Mumbai: A recent scientific study on global stamp collections depicting vultures, undertaken by conservation and philately experts revealed that though India houses nine species of vultures, only one of the species is displayed on Indian postage stamps. The species featured on stamps is the Bearded Vulture or Gypaetus barbatus (Lammergeier) while other vulture species remained neglected in biodiversity-rich India.

Studying and collecting postal stamps (philately) is not just an interesting hobby but it can also bring to light various interesting scientific facts, play a role in popularising science and serve as an informative piece of art and culture.

Eight vulture species in India are endangered due to anthropogenic activities and philately could be used as a tool to popularise those, supporting their conservation.

However, the images of eight vulture species from India have been published on 204 stamps by 83 countries and the United Nations between 1954 and 2020. The stamps depicted the vulture’s portrait, stages of life history and habitats and also the vulture as a character ‘Jatayu’ in Ramayana and artefacts with vulture symbols in other ancient cultures.

Authors

The study was carried out by Sachin Ranade from Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) who works on vulture conservation and Dr Ajit Vartak (Maharashtra Vruksha Samvardhini, Pune), an avid philatelist and geologist.

As per the researchers, publishing vulture images on stamps would spread awareness about these birds among the Indian public and would draw the attention of stamp collectors globally.

BNHS is one of India’s oldest and premier scientific organisations, working for nature conservation and generating awareness since 1883 through science-based research, conservation advocacy, education, scientific publications, nature tours and other programmes.

Findings from global stamp study

As per the journal ‘Indian Forester,’ where the study was published, Mongolia has published the maximum number of stamps on vultures (11) followed by Mozambique (8), Romania (7) and Yugoslavia (7). A few other countries like Bulgaria, Spain, Togo (each 6) and Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Uganda (5 each) are worth mentioning for their efforts.

The Indian culture valued vultures; Jatayu in the epic Ramayana was a vulture. Interestingly, stamps on Jatayu were published by Laos in 1969, Indonesia in 1962 and 2018 and India in 2017.

Observation by authors

The authors of the study accessed the websites on philately (Birds of the World on Postage Stamps, Theme Birds on Stamps and Colnect) and sought help from professional stamp collectors for information on stamps. The stamps on Indian vultures were segregated species-wise and the year and issuing countries were recorded.

The stamps on vulture species could be separated on various themes such as old world vultures (those species found in Africa, Asia and Europe) and the new world vultures (those species found in North and South America), depiction of the vulture’s close up, full body and habitat, depiction of vultures in the art forms, artefacts, and religious characters.

The authors proposed that the postal departments of India as well as other countries should publish even more stamps and covers on vultures. The Oriental White-backed vulture is the most common Gyps vulture all over India and could be the best representative of the resident vultures in India.

India is a stronghold for the slender-billed vulture as well. The Bearded and Red-headed vultures are charismatic species, which would attract the attention of stamp collectors. The Cinereous vulture, Himalayan vulture, Griffon and Egyptian vultures being long-distance migrants, would grab the attention of the international stamp collectors.

Vulture stamps published globally

There are seven stamps issued by six countries having the Oriental White-backed Vulture or Gyps bengalensis (White-rumped Vulture)

The African White-backed vulture (Gyps africans) that looks similar to the Gyps bengalensis, is a resident of the Indian sub-continent.

Indian Vulture Gyps indicus (Long-billed Vulture) stamp was issued only by Mozambique (2012) though the species is endemic to the Indian sub-continent.

A total of 49 stamps with the species Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (Eurasian Griffon) are issued by 33 countries.

A total of seven stamps with the species Himalayan vulture or Gyps himalayensis (Himalayan Griffon) are issued by five countries.

Two stamps depicting the species Red-headed Vulture or Aegypius calvus (King Vulture) are issued by Burundi and Cambodia.

There are 51 stamps published on the species Egyptian Vulture or Neophron percnopterus (Scavenger Vulture) including the UN.

There are 19 stamps with the species Cinereous Vulture or Aegypius monachus (Black Vulture), issued by 16 countries.

The sheet of stamp contains vultures from other continents such as Andean Condor Vultur gryphus, Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus and Bearded Vulture or Gypaetus barbatus and the Red-headed vulture.

Efforts in Telangana

The Telangana Forest Department published a special cover on October 6, 2017 for the 63rd Wildlife-Week celebration and a special cover was released showing Egyptian vulture and Indian vulture and their habitat on International Vulture Awareness Day on September 7, 2019.

On the Bearded Vulture species, there are 67 stamps, issued by 46 countries including India in 1992. The Indian stamp has the vulture in flight with snow-clad mountain peaks. Sadly, other vulture species remained neglected in biodiversity-rich India.

No stamp with the species Slender-billed vulture or Gyps tenuirostris has been issued by any country so far.