RAHIM YAR KHAN: A white-backed vulture was released back into the wild in Rahim Yar Khan on Thursday, according to the provincial wildlife department.

The rare vulture was caught and entrapped by some residents of Basti Shera, said an officer of the wildlife department.

The population of this type of vulture has declined by more than 99 percent in Pakistan, India and Nepal since the early 1990s, and is now classified as critically endangered.

The officer from the wildlife department stated that they had freed the vulture and released it in the desert.

He further stated that the black-backed vulture is not as rare as white-backed one.

Wildlife officer also shared that white-backed vulture is good for the environment as they feed on remains of dead bodies around its habitat.