Researchers Raise Awareness Of South Asian Vulture Before It Goes Extinct

Ann Arbor, MI (AHN ) - University of Michigan researchers say that captive breeding colonies of a critically endangered vulture are too small to protect the species from becoming extinct.

In the wild, the vulture's numbers have dwindled from tens of millions to a few thousand. Although it would help to add wild birds to the captive colonies, which are located in Pakistan and India, that is not possible because of political and logistical barriers, researchers say.

The oriental white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) is an impressive bird with a seven-foot wingspan. It was common in the south Asia until the mid-1990s, when populations began to collapse.

Scientists at first were clueless as to what was killing the vultures off. But then they discovered the culprit was an anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac, that is used to alleviate arthritis-like symptoms in livestock but is toxic to vultures.

When vultures ate the carcasses of animals treated with the drug they died within a day or two of eating the tainted meat.

Officials in India, Nepal and Pakistan outlawed its manufacture in 2006, but diclofenac is still available, farmers are still using it and birds are still dying.

Along with being important figures to the local culture and religions, the vultures eliminate direct threats to public health as well. Uneaten livestock carcasses provide a place for harmful bacteria to breed as well as attracting feral dogs that might spread rabies and other diseases.

Also, the collapse of a large population, such as the vultures, means less biodiversity and can trigger other negative changes in a region.

Lead author Jeff A. Johnson was an assistant research scientist at U-M when the research was done and recently accepted a position as an assistant professor at the University of North Texas in Denton.

He, and his colleagues, used museum specimens for their study.

"We just need to get diclofenac out of the environment and more birds into protection before it is too late," Johnson said.