Recent field survey in Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS), Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India amazed us to locate several bird carcasses on the railway track and prompted to identify the species and possible reasons of mortality from the deteriorated body remains. Surprisingly, DNA analysis with conserved mitochondrial genes i.e. Cytochrome b (Cyt b) and 16S rRNA, identified carcass originated from a Critically Endangered Red-headed Vulture (RHV: Sarcogyps calvus). The present study exhibits mtDNA based identification to be very efficient in species identification and raises concern for the mortality of RHV due to the possible bird-train collisions. We hope this study will get attention of the wildlife conservationists, forest officials and administrators in order to gather long term monitoring data on the mortality of RHV and other animals by train-hits or associated factors and suggest conservation strategies for wildlife management in and around RWS.

最近在印度北方邦奇特拉库特的拉尼普尔野生动物保护区（RWS）进行的实地调查使我们惊讶地发现了在铁路轨道上的几只禽类尸体，并促使人们查明了尸体变质的种类以及可能造成死亡的原因。出乎意料的是，使用保守的线粒体基因（即细胞色素b（Cyt b）和16S rRNA）进行DNA分析，鉴定出的car体起源于极度濒危的红头雕（RHV：Sarcogyps calvus）。本研究显示基于mtDNA的鉴定在物种鉴定中非常有效，并且由于可能发生鸟类-火车碰撞而引起了RHV的死亡。我们希望这项研究能够引起野生动物保护主义者，森林官员和管理者的注意，以便通过火车或相关因素收集有关RHV和其他动物死亡率的长期监测数据，并提出RWS及其周围地区野生生物管理的保护策略。