Natural History Wanderings

There is strong concern that if quick action is not taken that the vultures of South Asia will disappear. Of the millions of vultures that once lived in South Asia over the last decade, 99% of three species have disappeared.

“This is the fastest decline of any bird species ever reported anywhere in the world”, said Dr Asad Rahmani, Director of the Bombay Natural History Society (BirdLife in India).

The vultures are disappearing because of the drug called diclofenac. The drug was banned from veterinary use by the Indian government in 2006 but it continues to be used. When vultures feed on carcasses of cattle that have been given diclofenac they die  of kidney failure within ten days.

Read more at: Conserving South Asia’s vultures | BirdLife Community