vultures, closer to extinction

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Vultures, closer to extinction!

June 06, 2011



Now Vultures are one of the endangered species! Endangered

vultures are closer to extinction!! The vulture crisis started only

in mid 90s, when news of mass vulture deaths were reported in

the local news frequently. The news reported deaths of hundreds of vultures in single instances, where they were found

just found dead in a span of few square meters. In just ten

years, tens of millions of vultures have vanished from the

Indian subcontinent. Since the early 1990s, white-backed, long-

billed and slender-billed vulture populations have dropped by

over 95%!!!

There has been an alarming cr ash in the population

of the white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in

India. The birds were found all over the country,

often in groups of 20 to 30, quite close to villages

a

nd cities, untila

few yea

rsa

go. Now ev

ena

singleton is r arely spotted as one covers a long

distance. The birds have been obser ved to be

affected by a str ange disease. They droop their

heads while perched on trees. After remaining like

this for some days, they f all dead. Dozens of birds

have be en found dead in some parts of the country.



For more than a decade, these large birds f aced deaths

without a known reason to the scientists. It was as late

as 2004, when scientists in the United States identified

the cause: the drug Diclofenac. Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory agent, has been deployed successfully in

human medicine for decades. In most EU countries

medication containing Diclofenac is only a pproved for

treatment of humans. In India, Pakistan and Nepal it

has been deployed in veterinary medicine as well since

the 90s, in particular for livestock.When vultures feedon cattle carcasses, they too ingest the drug. The drug

acts as a f atal poison to the vultures and they die from

kidney f ailure .

It was banned in India, Nepal and Pakistan in 2006,

when it w

as noticed t

hatvultures died

after t

hey fed onthe carcasses of cattle that had been treated with

Diclofenac shortly before their death.

Later Ketoprofen was introduced as substitute for

Diclofenac. But, it was realized that even Ketoprofen

is equa

llyha

rmful for v

ultures.



With lot of research, now Meloxicam is invented

which is not harmful for animals, especially Vultures.

Experts say the new drug Meloxicam, is as effective asDiclofenac in treating livestock, but does not harm

birds. Both are anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat

livestock. Gener ally these are prescribed to cure

animals from severe arthritis, pain and fever as the

drugs are anti-pyretic and analgesic.

Its our responsibility to create awareness among both

doctors who are treating cattle and also cattle f armers.

Its noticed in villages that, only doctors are not treating

cattle in all the cases. There are compounders or other

than medical pr actitioners who prescribe diclofenac or

Ketoprofen. So, when you visit any villages, pleasespread this awareness. Keep cattle f armers, veternary

doctors and other local doctors informed this issue.

Advice them to treat cattle with Meloxicam as

alternate to Diclofenac or Ketoprofen.



Its our responsibility to create awareness among both

doctors who are treating cattle and also cattle f armers.

Its noticed in villages that, only doctors are not treating

cattle in all the cases. There are compounders or other

than medical pr actitioners who prescribe diclofenac or

Ketoprofen. So,

1.When you visit any villages, please spread this

awareness. Keep cattle f armers, villagers, veterinary

doctors, other local doctors and drug stores informed

a bout this issue. Advice them to treat cattle with

Meloxicam as alternate to Diclofenac or Ketoprofen.

2. If you spot a vulture, report to the forest department.

Its reported that small number of vultures were foundin R amanagar a, K a bini belt and Wayanad recently.

Let all of us work on the last hope.We don¶t want

vultures taking space from high skies into just books in

front of our eyes. Thank you.- Mahesh DJ

[email protected]

vultures, closer to extinction

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