Bejjur Forest Range officer M. Ram Mohan has been credited with the discovery of the now-famous habitat of the critically endangered vulture species Gyps indicus , also known as Indian vulture. The discovery, made around February-March 2013, was responsible for highlighting the biodiversity of the erstwhile Adilabad district and aroused the interest of many, including environmentalists and the Hyderabad-based Birdwatchers Society of Andhra Pradesh.
The discovery would not have been possible had his curiosity not taken over when he heard villagers talk of ‘raga panthalu’ birds perching on the high cliff. It took him more than a month to ascertain that the high fliers seen by him were indeed vultures.Encouraged by the discovery, he began cataloguing other species of flora and fauna in the forests. He has photographed about 200 different birds and a host of rare plants..
He leads a team of watchers, animal trackers, including wildlife biologist and field researcher.
