Historical Declines and Likely
Causes in Southeast Asia
During the first half of the twentieth
century, two species of
Gyps
vulture
(
G. bengalensis
and
G. tenuirostris
)
were well distributed and often specifically
noted as abundant in Southeast
Asia ( including adjacent Yunnan
Province, China). By the end of
that century, both species were extinct
across almost the entire area. A
small area of northeastern and northern
Cambodia holds relict populations
of both species, with some extension
into adjacent parts of Laos
and Vietnam. Elsewhere in these
countries, and in Malaysia, Thailand,
and Yunnan, the few recent records
probably indicate wandering birds.
The situation in Myanmar remains
unclear, but a major decline has also
occurred there, at least locally. Table 1
illustrates changes in populations of
G. bengalensis
over this period.