Himalayan vulture seen in S'pore euthanised after rescue due to injuries, ailment & parasites

[metanoia]

 

[metanoia]

Massive Himalayan vulture spotted in S'pore near East Coast Parkway​

A vulture surprise.



Khine Zin Htet

January 11, 2026, 05:09 PM​

The presence of Himalayan vultures in Singapore has caused a flutter of excitement in the past week.

While the vultures, a species usually found within the higher regions of the Himalayas, have been spotted mainly in the west of Singapore, one has now been sighted along the East Coast Parkway.

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In the east side​

Instagram user @daniellegan_ told Mothership her mother first spotted the large bird as they were driving past at around 2:20pm on Jan. 11.

"It was camouflaged almost like a pile of leaves from the back as it was sat very still. Then we realised it was a vulture and connected it to the news stories we had seen recently," she said.

Danielle added that the family was "in awe" at how large the bird was and decided to circle back for a second look.

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The family watched the bird for around five minutes and she managed to capture a video of it flying off.

The bird has a wingspan of between 2.5m and 3m.

"When we left it was still perched on the trees above the ECP highway. I’d say it’d had to be there for at least 15 to 30 minutes," she said.

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Danielle added that she was “very lucky” to have seen the vulture, noting that it appeared unperturbed despite passing vehicles and onlookers nearby.

Another Mothership reader also sent in photos of the vulture at the ECP.

Bird community sightings​

Bird photographer Dylan CK also spotted the vulture at Tanah Merah Coast Road on Jan. 10.

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He shared photos on Facebook group Bird Sightings, to the delight of others in the community.

President of Bird Society of Singapore, Dr Movin Nyanasengeran, told The Straits Times that the vultures’ appearance is part of their post-breeding dispersal period.

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This is when juvenile birds become independent and leave their parents’ territory.

“Young birds tend to wander more than adults, and these vultures were probably lost during their dispersal,” he said.

He added that the birds are usually sighted in Singapore every two to three years around the start of the year.

Top photo courtesy of @daniellegan_/Instagram

 

[winners]

KNN, it's so heavy, just like an AIRBUS A380 taking off.

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

no surer sign from heaven.....................Woody Goh's time on earth is almost up.................

 

[glockman]

What a big and majestic bird! Would make a great pet.

 

[Semaj2357]

What a big and majestic bird! Would make a great pet.

hanor, just feed it some wandering chickens around your neighbourhood to fatten it in time for cny

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

What a big and majestic bird! Would make a great pet.

all old folks living alone should keep one.....................if die at home alone - the vulture will take care of the corpse..................no worries about rotting and the smell..........

 

[Iceberg]

H3N2 Bird Flu
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/flu-influenza-early-rise-cases-5417496

 

[VanDick]

Do not disturb this bird. It is part of the grand east coast plan.

 

[metanoia]

What a big and majestic bird! Would make a great pet.

Walks like a clown

 

[glockman]

Walks like a clown

knn why you so critical?! It's a majestic bird lah, in flight but not on the ground.

 

[metanoia]

Himalayan vulture seen in S'pore euthanised after rescue due to injuries, ailment & parasites​

RIP.



Gawain Pek

January 14, 2026, 03:08 PM​

One of the Himalayan vultures that was sighted around Singapore was euthanised after it was rescued on Jan. 3.

It was found with several ailments, including being infested with parasites, muscle injury, anameia and kidney function deficiency.

Another Himalayan vulture was picked up by Acres volunteers on Jan. 11 along the ECP.

Rescued on Jan. 3, euthanised five days later​

Responding to queries from Mothership, Charlene Yeong, a veterinarian at Mandai Wildlife Group and Mandai Nature shared that the Himalayan griffon vulture was rescued by the National Parks Board (NParks) and transferred to Mandai Wildlife Group for specialised veterinary assessment and treatment on Jan. 3, 2026.

"Clinical assessment found the vulture to be severely underweight, weak, and heavily infested with parasites. Further examinations revealed anaemia, possible muscle injury, and kidney function deficiency," Yeong said.

The bird was immediately placed under intensive care.

"Despite these efforts, the vulture’s condition deteriorated on the fifth day. Its kidney function declined rapidly, and the bird became progressively debilitated," Yeong added.

After careful consideration and consultation between Mandai Wildlife Group’s veterinary team and NParks, a joint decision was made to euthanise the vulture.

A post-mortem examination was conducted by Mandai Wildlife Group to investigate the cause of the bird’s declining condition.

Why vultures seen in Singapore?​

Yeong explained that recent sightings of Himalayan griffon vultures in Singapore are usually of vagrants that go off course from their usual distribution range.

Juveniles, which tend to venture further, may face a decrease in food sources due to habitat loss and alterations, likely contributing to vultures found in a state of exhaustion and dehydration in Singapore.

Carcass retained by Lee Kong Chian National History Museum​

The carcass has been retained at the Lee Kong Chian National History Museum for education and research.

The carcass was placed under the care of Tan Yen Yi, curator of birds, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, at the National University of Singapore.

Tan shared that this is the first specimen of the species for the museum and for Singapore, joining six other Gyps vulture specimens that were collected in the late 1930s.

"This rare specimen is a valuable addition to Singapore's natural heritage collection that underscores the importance of specimen salvage in supporting proper documentation of our natural landscape," she added.

Another vulture rescued along ECP on Jan. 11​

Another vulture was rescued by Acres on Jan. 11 after the public reported that it appeared to be in distress.

The vulture was reportedly seen struggling to take flight.

Acres CEO Kalai Vanan said the bird got stranded in a canal along the ECP expressway.

Three volunteers from the Acres Rescue Team attended and rescued the vulture.

Photo via Acres.

Photo via Acres.

"The vulture is currently under Acres's vet team care. Dehydration, overall weakness, and overall exhaustion from the long voyage seem to be the initial diagnosis," Kalai shared on Jan. 12.

"We are still assessing him and hope to fully rehabilitate the large bird for release in the near future," Kalai said then.

Members of the public can contact the Acres Wildlife Rescue team at 97837782 if they see any wild animals in distress.

Why are they in Singapore?​

A total of four Himalayan vultures have been spotted so far, according to birdwatchers online.

They were recently seen in the vicinity of East Coast Parkway and Tanah Merah Coast Road.

Birdwatchers also reported seeing them in the West, around Clementi and Maju Forest.

According to records by the Bird Society of Singapore, the previous sighting of a Himalayan vulture in Singapore was in February 2025.

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President of Bird Society of Singapore, Movin Nyanasengeran, told The Straits Times that the vultures’ presence is part of their post-breeding dispersal period.

This is when juvenile birds become independent and leave their parents’ territory.

“Young birds tend to wander more than adults, and these vultures were probably lost during their dispersal,” he said.

He added that the birds are usually sighted in Singapore every two to three years around the start of the year.

 

[uniboi]

hanor, just feed it some wandering chickens around your neighbourhood to fatten it in time for cny

It’s hungry and this one will keep it alive