New Delhi: A rare Egyptian Vulture was found outside a residential area in East Delhi. Suspected to have been caught by a manja of a flying kite (glass coated string), the endangered vulture’s right wing was severely injured and it had to be rushed to a rescue facility for treatment.

The injured vulture was found outside a residence in Mayur Vihar Phase-I. It was lying on the side of the road and upon seeing that it was struggling to fly, a concerned resident contacted NGO Wildlife SOS on their 24-hour rescue helpline, following which a two-member rescue team was promptly dispatched to the location. The team upon arrival identified the bird as an Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), also called the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh’s chicken and is the smallest among all vultures. It is a globally endangered species on the IUCN Red List. A member of the rescue team said, “The bird was frightened and appeared to be in considerable pain. We had to carefully place it in a transport carrier to prevent it from hurting itself any further.” The vulture is a useful scavenger and plays an important role in the ecosystem.