At Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra, a long wait ended on a sweet note when vultures previously released into the wild returned to guide their friends, captive-bred birds, helping them learn their first lessons in survival including taking their maiden flight in the wild.

The Maharashtra Forest Department, in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), has been working to release the captive bred vultures in the wild. These vultures were brought from Pinjore in Haryana on  April 24, 2025, and trained them to feed on carcasses. The vultures were then housed in the pre-release aviary, specially constructed in Pench for releasing them in the wild.