Why in news?
- Vultures, the majestic birds soaring high in the skies, play a vital role in our ecosystem. Often referred to as nature’s sanitation squad, they efficiently clean the environment by consuming carrion (dead animals).
- However, a recent study reveals a disturbing truth – even vultures in protected areas of India are vulnerable to toxic threats.
India’s Diverse Vulture Population and Its Decline
- India boasts nine vulture species, including the Oriental white-backed, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Himalayan, Red-headed, Egyptian, Bearded, Cinereous, and Eurasian Griffon.
- Sadly, these magnificent birds have faced a population decline exceeding 97% in some regions since the late 1990s.
- This alarming decrease is primarily attributed to the widespread use of diclofenac, a veterinary drug used to treat pain and inflammation in livestock.
The Devastating Impact of Diclofenac
- When they feed on carcasses of animals treated with diclofenac, they suffer fatal kidney failure.
- This drug disrupts their vital organs, leading to a painful and slow death.
- The consequences were catastrophic, creating an ecological crisis with cascading effects.
-
Vultures: Essential for a Healthy Ecosystem
- Beyond their role as scavengers, they play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Here’s how:
- Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling: they efficiently consume carrion, preventing carcasses from accumulating and rotting. This aids in the decomposition of organic matter, returning vital nutrients back into the soil, which is essential for plant growth and overall ecosystem health.
- Disease Prevention: they possess incredibly strong stomachs with highly acidic digestive juices. This powerful acid effectively kills bacteria and viruses that can cause diseases like anthrax, rabies, and botulism. They act as a natural barrier, preventing the spread of these diseases in the wild.
- Indicator Species: Vultures are sensitive to environmental changes. A decline in their population can serve as an early warning sign of a broader ecological problem, such as pollution or a shortage of food sources.
The Multifaceted Threat
- While diclofenac poses a significant threat, other factors contribute to the decline of their populations:
- Secondary Poisoning: They can be poisoned by consuming carcasses contaminated with pesticides or other toxins. Additionally, vultures feeding on animals hunted with lead ammunition risk lead poisoning. This “secondary poisoning” poses a major threat.
- Habitat Loss: Urbanization, deforestation, and agricultural expansion have destroyed vulture nesting sites, roosting areas, and food sources. This lack of suitable habitat hinders their survival.
- Collisions with Infrastructure: Vultures can collide with power lines, wind turbines, and other man-made structures, leading to injuries or fatalities.
- Poaching and Hunting: In some areas, vultures are targeted due to cultural beliefs or illegal wildlife trade, further jeopardizing their existence.
- Disease Outbreaks: Diseases like avian pox and avian flu can also have a detrimental impact on vulture populations.
India’s Fight for Vultures Conservation
- Recognizing the gravity of the situation, India has taken commendable steps towards it :
-
Addressing the Drug Threat:
- Ban on Diclofenac: In 2006, India banned the veterinary use of diclofenac, a crucial step in protecting vultures from kidney failure.
- Vulture Action Plan 2020-25: This plan focuses on minimizing diclofenac use and preventing the poisoning of vulture food sources.
- Expansion of the Ban: In August 2023, India further banned the use of ketoprofen and aceclofenac in veterinary medicine due to their potential threat to vultures.
-
Captive Breeding and Reintroduction:
- Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBCs): A network of VCBCs has been established to focus on captive breeding of endangered vulture species, providing a safe environment to raise healthy populations for reintroduction into the wild.
- Vulture Restaurant: A unique initiative in Jharkhand provides safe food sources for vultures, minimizing the risk of diclofenac poisoning.
-
Other Initiatives:
- Vulture species are included in conservation programs like the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) and the Vulture Safe Zone program.
- Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 offers the highest level of protection to critically endangered vultures.
People also ask
Q1 : What are vultures and why are they important?
Ans : Vultures are large scavenging birds that play a crucial role in the ecosystem by consuming carrion (dead animals). They efficiently clean the environment and prevent the spread of diseases.
Q2 : Why are their populations declining in India?
Ans : The primary culprit is diclofenac, a veterinary drug toxic to vultures when they feed on carcasses of treated animals. Habitat loss, secondary poisoning, collisions with infrastructure, and poaching also contribute to the decline.
Q3 : How does diclofenac harm vultures?
Ans : When vultures ingest diclofenac from carcasses, it causes fatal kidney failure. This drug disrupts their vital organs, leading to a slow and painful death.
