There about five species of vultures in India. Three of which are said to be critically endangered. These are the oriental white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis), long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus) and the slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris). Two other species - the red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvushave) and the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus). The vulture population has declined by close to 99% in the last 20 years.
Why vultures are becoming extinct?
1) Diclofelnac
The main reason for the sudden and dramatic decline in vulture population is due to use of vertinary drug called as Dicloflenac. This is used in cattle as a pain reliever. Diclofenac is particularly lethal to vultures as it gets into vultures body when it consumes the carcasses of dead cattle which has been injected with diclofenac within 72 hours of its death. The Vultures stomachs are unable to breakdown this drug and it causes kidney failures and ultimately their death. In some cases, it affects their ability to reproduce. Since March 2005, the drug has been banned for vertinary use in India. However, it continues to be used as verterians use a human form of this drug on cattle. Another Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAID), meloxicam, has been found to be harmless to vultures and should prove to be an acceptable substitute for diclofenac. When meloxicam production is increased, it is hoped that it will be as cheap as diclofenac. Another NSAID, Ketoprofen & aceclofenac has been proved equally dangerous for vultures but awareness regarding this hasn't yet increased.2) Poisoning:
In some cases, farmers wanting to protect their cattle from attacks from wild animals like tigers, lions, cheetahs and leopards, poison meat. The cats which feed on them die and the vultures which feed on the poisoned meat or the cat which died because of consuming poisoned meat also die as a result.3) Starvation:
Another reason for decline in Vulture population near villages and towns is Starvation. Villagers previously used to discard dead cattle at the edges of their villages are now selling the dead cattle to butchers for meat. Vultures which previously depended on dead meat for their subsistence are finding it increasingly hard to find food.4) Wind turbines:
Wind turbines, heralded as an alternative source of power, has a dangerous side to it. It has been observed by ornithologists that Wind turbines can decapitate and slice vultures into two.
Other causes:
- Electrocution
- Malaria
- pesticides
- lack of nesting trees
- Pardhi community in Maharashtra (called as Wagris in Gujarat) eats vultures. They catch whole flocks and devour them.
Why vultures are important?
1) Decomposing of dead bodies in the wild take anywhere from 3 to 4 times longer in the absence of vultures2) Decline of vultures contributes to raise of diseases like anthrax, rabies as feral dogs and crows take place of vultures when vultures drastically decline.
Further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_vulture_crisis
http://www.ted.com/talks/munir_virani_why_i_love_vultures.html
http://cameronmccormick.blogspot.in/2009/07/on-importance-of-vultures.html
http://indiasendangered.com/six-reasons-why-vultures-may-be-dying-in-india/
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25963100
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20007163
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Vulture-numbers-rise-up-for-first-time-in-20-years-study-shows/articleshow/17187819.cms
http://www.nature.com/news/the-trouble-with-turbines-an-ill-wind-1.10849
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3437583.stm
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