A programme to create awareness on vultures, and an exhibition were organised in The Nilgiris to mark the International Vulture Awareness Day on Saturday. The first Saturday of September is observed as the International Vulture Awareness Day. The programme was organised by Arulagam (an environment protection organisation) at Smyrna Home in Udhagamandalam, and at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve later, where a poster exhibition was inaugurated by the tiger reserve’s Field Director Srinivas R. Reddy. The programme began with an introduction of vultures and their role in the forest eco system. Posters on types of vultures in India were displayed. The status of birds in Tamil Nadu, and the reasons for their decline in population were explained. “Vultures are in the red list among endangered species that are on the verge of extinction,” said secretary of Arulagam S. Barathidasan. He said that the trust will organise more such programmes near cattle shandies to create awareness among farmers the ill effects of diclofenac (used for cattle) and its adverse impact on vultures.