A HIGH-FLYING self confessed bird nerd who travelled halfway round the world to help save vultures on the brink of extinction is bringing his campaign back home to North Yorkshire.

James Robinson, the Curator of the National Bird of Prey Centre in Helmsley, went to Nepal last September to help with a range of projects to save the threatened raptors, who live off the carcases of dead animals.

One of their main sources of food - cows - are sacred in the country and are often treated with drugs as they get older. Unfortunately the drugs are toxic to vultures who end up dying when they consume the carcases.

In the last 20 years vulture populations across South Asia have plummeted to the brink of extinction. Studies have shown that up to 99.9 per cent of some species have been lost.

Mr Robinson said:”The monumental decline of the vulture populations in Nepal is down to this. Most Hindus respect the cow for its gentle nature, which represents the main teaching of Hinduism.

"When the cow becomes old or ill they are not euthanised and more often than not the cows are treated with drugs until they die such as the relatively cheap and easily available Diclofenacâwhich is toxic to the vultures.”

A unique new project has set up to help; Safe Vulture Feeding Sites, havens for the vultures where local communities are encouraged to sell or donate their elderly or sick livestock.

“The livestock is very well fed and cared for by a full time keeper and when the cattle die the carcass is offered to the vultures to consume and dispose of as nature intended. The process is carried out without the use of deadly drugs,” said Mr Robinson.

“The feeding site is ultimately a cow rescue centre with the vultures playing a role as the carcass clean up crew,” he added.

Mr Robinson also worked on a parahawking project with Scott Mason, a pioneering bird trainer in the Himalayas who works with paragliders and two trained Egyptian vultures to organise tandem flights around Annapurna.

Now the bird of prey expert is winging his way back to North Yorkshire in the next few weeks to resume his work as curator at the national centre.

“But I’m coming back with a mission,” says Mr Robinson. “I have set up an awareness and fundraising campaign.

“My dream is to spread the word about the birds and hopefully raise vital funds along the way. All funds raised will be donated directly to vital vulture conservation projects around the world,” he added.

He will be available for talks and events, for more information www.vultureconservation.co.uk.