Vultures - Have been given special regard in Indian Cultures
Vultures - Are large to medium-sized birds
Vultures - Are considered nature’s most efficient scavenger.
Vultures - Don't hunt rather feed on rotten carcasses
Vultures - Prevent the spread of deadly and contagious diseases like brucellosis, rabies, anthrax, plague, tuberculosis, etc.
vultures - Occupy unique niche and remain at the top of numerous food chains in the ecosystem.
Vultures - Help in maintaining the ecological balance of the ecosystem
Vultures - In today's Scenario, Experiencing A drastic or abrupt decline in their population can have negative impact on the ecosystem.
It is learnt that there are almost 23 species of vultures, on whole earth, categorized into two non-related groups, old world vulture (OWV) and new world vulture (NWV).
OWVs belong to order 'Accipitriformes' and are more related to BUZZARDS, KITES, EAGLES and HARRIERS [Brown and Amadon, 1968]. While the NWVs belongs to order Cathartiformes and are related to STORKS. Out of 23, 16 species belong to OWVs and 7 species to NWVs
Of the total OWVs, 9 vulture species are found in India. These include Himalayan vulture (Gyps himalayensis), White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus), Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), Red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus),Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) and Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus).
Of these 9 species, Cinereous vulture and Eurasian Griffon are migratory species, and rest other 7 are resident species to India. but Himalayan vulture is a regional migrant with different wintering and breeding sites within Indian states.
According to International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), White-rumped vulture (WRV), Long-billed vulture (LBV), Slender-billed vulture (SBV) and Red-headed vulture (RHV) are enlisted as critically endangered; Egyptian vulture (EV) as endangered; Bearded vulture (BV), Cinereous vulture (CV) and Himalayan vulture (HV) as near threatened; Griffon vulture (GV) as least concern.
Excess Human greed ensuring intervention in the Natural cycle leading to Food Shortage to Vultures
Increase in Human Population leading to concrete Jungles as a result Habitat destrcution for these scavangers
Exposure to diclofenac, a Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is inmgested with the consumption of carcasses of livestock contaminated with this NSAID. This drug causes kidney failure follwed by death (Green et al.,2004; Oaks et al 2004). Though MoEFCC has banned the use and production by year 2006.
Illegal Trade of body parts
Electrocution due to high tension wires
Electromagnetic radiations
Considering this scenario there can be chances as follows:
* There may be an high upsurge in numbers of carcasses leading to proliferation of pathogens and vectors leading to diseases in living beings including anthrax, rabies, tuberculosis etc. This will ultimately bring pollution to Air, Water and soil..
* There can be an increase in the numbers of facultative scavengers (vulture’s substitute) e.g., feral dogs, rodents etc. This may percolate into animals as zoonotic diseases inclduing plagues, rabies etc.
Vultures provide many services to the human society and natural environment, most notably carcass disposal. These services directly or indirectly affect human health, economic activity, and environmental quality. Considering the gradual decline in the vulture population, if the numbers drop abruptly or even if they become extinct, two consequences are going to happen,
Efforts to Prevent population decline of Vultures :
International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) is celebrated on First saturday of September each year.
MoEFCC has banned the use and production by year 2006
Its time for a sustainable action.....Ornithologist and related NGOs working in Environment should come forward to save The Vultures.
References :
Bird Life International, IUCN Red List for birds. (2019) http://www.birdlife.org.
Brown, L. and Amadon, D. (1968). Eagles, hawks and falcons of the world. Vols. I and II. McGraw-Hill, pp 1-945. ISBN: 1-55-521472-X.
Green, R.E., Newton, I., Shultz, S., Cunningham, A.A., Gilbert, M., Pain, D.J. and Prakash, V. (2004). Diclofenac poisoning as a cause of vulture population declines across the Indian subcontinent. Journal of Applied Ecology, 41, 793-800.
Oaks, J.L., Meteyer, C.U., Rideout, B.A., Shivaprasad, H.L., Gilbert, M., Virani, M.Z., Watson, R.T. and Khan, A.A. (2004). Diagnostic investigation of vulture mortality: the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac is associated with visceral gout. Falco, 13-14.
