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New light shed on Indian Vulture Crisis

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Photographs by Bob Perry (top) and Keith Channing (bottom)

The widespread mortality and decline of three vulture species (Gyps bengalensis, Gyps indicus and Gyps tenuirostris) in southern Asia has been a cause of concern since widely reported in 1999. Following observed declines in western India, there were reports of further vulture mortalities in Pakistan, as well as other parts of India. The extent of these declines varies, but all are significant. At three sites in Pakistan, estimates of the decline in numbers of breeding vultures are between 33% and 97%. Survey transects conducted across India suggest population declines in the region of 92%.

Suggested causes have included pesticides, persecution, a novel infectious disease and habitat loss. Until recently, the identification of a single cause has been elusive. A common finding among field workers has been the presence of visceral gout in many dead vultures, with up to 80% of adult vultures examined post mortem having shown these symptoms. Efforts have concentrated on establishing the cause of this condition.

At the recent 6th World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls in Budapest, Hungary (18-23 May 2003), there was a report of significant new findings. Dr Lindsay Oakes (Washington State University), an investigator with The Peregrine Fund (USA), highlighted the role of Diclofenac Sodium, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in relation to vulture mortalities. Based on these results, it appears that the proximal cause of visceral gout in affected vultures is this widespread veterinary drug. Contamination of vultures occurs following the consumption of deceased domestic stock previously treated with Diclofenac.

To address the crisis, reactive strategies could include an attempted withdrawal of veterinary Diclofenac from general distribution, the development of in-country captive facilities and the re-establishment of wild populations through food provision and field monitoring.
However, given the rate of population declines, it is possible that such remedial objectives will be too late to avoid local extinctions. Despite the identification of an obvious cause of vulture mortalities, the current situation and immediate prognosis for these species remains critically unfavourable.

The European population is therefore highly significant. For a start, the vultures in Europe have lived there for at least 15 years, and are therefore unaffected by the problems currently afflicting wild populations.
Although the likelihood of any future captive population being used for release is very small, if non-existent, the poor status of wild populations means that the zoological population has a definite role to play as a 'safety net'. A new captive care and management facility has been opened in Haryana State (northern India), and if in situ organisations develop more of these types of facility, it is likely that the captive population will have an important conservation role to play into the future.

Campbell Murn

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