What led to the decline of vultures in India and Pakistan?

What led to the decline of vultures in India and Pakistan?

Circling vultures used to be a common sight in India and Pakistan, but in less than twenty years their populations have crashed by 99 percent. The cause was a drug called diclofenac used on livestock. Tens of millions of vulture perished due to the drug.

Why are vultures declining?

A major contributing factor in declining populations of vultures is believed to be widespread use of drugs such as diclofenac, once commonly used as a livestock anti-inflammatory drug. Veterinary usage of diclofenac has been banned in India since 2006.

Why vultures are endangered in Pakistan?

KARACHI, Pakistan Apart from drugs, food shortages, and an increase in tree felling, especially those with vulture nests, have all been important contributors in the declining number of vultures.

Which chemical is responsible for decline of vultures?

“Pesticides are probably responsible for the recent decline in vulture and other bird populations in India,” says Nair. Residues found in the brain tissues of dead birds indicate that these chemicals could indeed be the killers.

What caused the decline in the Indian vulture population?

India’s three vulture species saw an unprecedented decline of 97 to 99.9 percent between 1992 and 2007 owing to ingesting diclofenac through cattle carcasses. The near extinction of this efficient scavenger is linked to spread of zoonotic diseases and increased incidence of rabies.

Which leads to kidney failure in vulture?

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac is a major cause of the rapid declines in the Indian subcontinent of three species of vultures endemic to South Asia. The drug causes kidney failure and death in vultures.

What happened to vultures in Pakistan?

Unfortunately, the vultures have been declining in Pakistan and are now critically endangered. Considered sacred by some of South Asian communities, vultures play an important ecological role in cleaning up our environment.

Where is vulture found?

Vultures are found across world in all continents except Australasia and Antarctica. Old World vultures in Africa, Asia and Europe belong to the family Falconidae and are most closely related to other birds of prey.

Which phenomena is responsible for death of vultures?

Our research has shown that in the last decade, habitat loss due to massive mining, quarrying, blasting and logging have affected vultures in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Nesting and roosting sites of vultures have also declined. Other reasons include scarcity of food and water, predation by wild dogs and accidents.

Why the vultures are dying of kidney failure?

Indian vultures died of kidney failure caused by diclofenac poisoning. It breeds mainly on hilly crags in central and peninsular India. The slender-billed vulture Gyps tenuirostris in the northern part of its range is considered a separate species.

What is the effect of diclofenac drug on vultures?

Diclofenac is toxic to vultures even in small doses, causing kidney failure. That results in uric acid accumulating in the birds’ blood and crystallizing around their internal organs—a condition called visceral gout2.

Are vultures still alive?

Today, 14 of the world’s 23 vulture species are threatened with extinction, particularly in Africa and Asia. In California, the California condor, categorized as “extinct in the wild” in 1987, remains critically endangered.

What happened to India’s vultures?

Vulture declines in India were first quantified at Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, by Dr Vibhu Prakash, Principal Scientist of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Between 1985-1986 and 1996-1997 the population of oriental white-backed vulture declined by an estimated 97% at Keoladeo, and in 2003 this colony was extinct.

Are vultures on the edge of extinction?

Long-billed and slender- billed vultures decreased by 97% over the same period. Surveys across Nepal and Pakistan indicate vultures have declined at similar rates across the whole of south Asia, and within Pakistan both resident species (white-backed and long-billed) are on the edge of extinction.

How many vultures are in the world?

Long-billed (45,000) and slender-billed (1,000) vultures were estimated to be declining at around 22% a year. Populations of red-headed vultures and Egyptian vultures are also declining, at 41% and 35% a year in India ( Cuthbert et al 2006 ).

What causes a vulture to die of gout?

Uric acid is the white substance found in the guano of all birds, and the characteristic presence of visceral gout in vultures suggested the cause of death was likely to be related to kidney failure. Some birds appeared sick and lethargic for a protracted period before death, with a characteristic drooping head.