Banned drug takes a toll on vulture population

DICLOFENAC POISONING

- S SENTHIL KUMAR @Coimbatore

SETTING off the alarm bells, a study found that the rapid decline in population of three species of Gyps vulture - White rumped vulture, Red headed vulture and Long billed vulture - that are endemic to Asia were caused by unintentional poisoning by the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac, banned by union government two decades ago.

Though the vetenary use of the drug was banned in 2006, it continues to be used to treat sick cattle across the country.

The study 'The continued threat of toxic NSAIDs to Critically Endangered Gyps vultures in South Asia' by a group of 13 researchers across South Asia, carried out between 2012 and 2024, was published in Bird Conservation International journal recently.