PUBLISHED ONJanuary 20, 2026 12:30 PMBYSean LerA rare Himalayan vulture which was rescued by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) on Jan 11, died four days later on Jan 15 despite treatment and care.
The animal protection and welfare charity confirmed the death in response to AsiaOne's queries on Tuesday (Jan 20).
ACRES chief executive officer Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan told AsiaOne that a post-mortem analysis revealed that the bird died due to acute intoxication from pre-existing kidney and gastrointestinal problems.
"Stress and exhaustion exacerbated these conditions," he added.
The migratory bird is native to the higher regions of the Himalayas and is considered a vagrant species in Singapore.
According to the Bird Society of Singapore, sightings have been recorded yearly since 2018.
The rescued vulture was seen in now-viral videos along East Coast Parkway and was seen struggling after being stranded in a canal and along the expressway.
"Dehydration, overall weakness and overall exhaustion from the long voyage seem to be the initial diagnosis," Kalai told the media after the rescue.
"We are still assessing it and hope to fully rehabilitate the large bird for release in the near future," he added then.
No, the Himalayan vulture seen along the East Coast Parkway (ECP) on Sunday (Jan 11) wasn't trying to hitch a ride from any passing motorists. According to non-governmental organisation Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), the large bird may have been exhausted from its long voyage, leading to "dehydration, overall weakness". It is currently under the organisation's care and will be rehabilitated for release "in the near future". Himalayan vultures are migratory and are usually spotted in this region between late December and early January. #sgnews #Singapore #Birds #Vulture #Nature #Road
In the days following the rescue, ACRES said the vulture showed "glimpses of progress". During the treatment, rescuers started preparing the outdoor cage for him, noting that it can be stressful for a large bird to be confined indoors.
"Sadly, his condition took a sudden turn for the worse and deteriorated quickly over a 12-hour period on Jan 15," Kalai shared.
He added that ACRES' veterinary team "responded immediately with emergency care" but could not save it.
The carcass has since been transferred to the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum — which also handled the carcass of a 6.3m-long baleen whale found in the waters off Tanjong Pagar on Sept 6, 2025 — for education and research.
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