Endangered Egyptian Vulture Spotted for First Time at Pune’s Mahatma Tekdi

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Pune: A rare Egyptian vulture, listed as endangered, was recently spotted flying over Mahatma Tekdi in Kothrud, highlighting the growing importance of Pune’s hill ecosystems for birds of prey.

This marks the first recorded sighting of the Egyptian vulture at Mahatma Tekdi. The species is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

The bird was observed by wildlife biologist Arnav Gandhe and birder and photographer Rohit Khare. The Egyptian vulture is known to be a local migrant as well as a winter migratory species in different parts of India.

According to Gandhe, the sighting reinforces Mahatma Tekdi’s role as a significant urban biodiversity hotspot. He noted that the hill has seen a noticeable rise in raptor activity this season, with recent sightings including the Eurasian hobby, Amur falcon, steppe eagle, Eurasian sparrowhawk, and Montagu’s harrier.

Despite being a small, landlocked hill surrounded by urban development, Mahatma Tekdi supports substantial avian diversity. Gandhe said more than 170 bird species—both resident and migratory—have been recorded in the area so far. Like other hills across Pune, Mahatma Tekdi acts as a natural island of biodiversity amid rapid urbanisation.

Gandhe also pointed out that Pune’s hills are often overlooked from a conservation perspective, even though they show ecological potential comparable to more well-known landscapes elsewhere in the country.

“India has recorded eight species of vultures, many of which have suffered severe population declines over the past few decades,” he said. “The Indian vulture, white-rumped vulture, and red-headed vulture are critically endangered, while the Egyptian vulture is listed as endangered. Every confirmed sighting therefore provides valuable information on the species’ distribution and population status.”

He added that Egyptian vultures were also reported from Vetal Tekdi in November 2025 and in 2024, suggesting that Pune’s chain of hills may be increasingly used by the species.