Experts say more needs to be done to keep these birds safe and it would be unethical to release them in the current scenario.
“Simply breeding vultures in captivity is not a solution in itself because we cannot safely release them. The main problem behind the decline of vulture populations has not been addressed and the damn drugs are still very much in the system. The risks of these critically endangered birds eating livestock carcasses with NSAIDs is still very high,” said Chris Bowden, co-chair,
The drugs in question here are
“Although there has not been a full-scale investigation, work has been done in the Ramanagaram area which has established that pharmacies are still supplying toxic drugs to vets and livestock owners,” added Chris.
Raptors prey on livestock carcasses in landfills and other places, ingesting NSAIDs
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Avian experts say it’s not just the open dumping of cattle carcasses with traces of NSAIDs, but the dumps also pose a threat to these critically endangered species.
“Raptors can fly more than a hundred kilometers in search of food every day. We monitored a few dumpsites in and around the area and found that carcass waste from nearby beef markets wrapped in plastic and jute bags is regularly dumped. We have seen Egyptian vultures using these landfills for food,” said Satyapramod HV, of
Notably, the behavior of these scavenger birds, their movement pattern, etc., have not been studied in detail in the past. Likewise, there is no large-scale study to access samples of cattle carcasses in and around the city to understand if there are traces of NSAIDs.
“Before starting the breeding program and releasing the birds into the wild, we need to do extensive work to understand the amount of cattle carcasses thrown into the open and the amount of NSAIDs in the carcass,” said said Satyapramod.
Safe alternatives to NSAIDs
Meloxicam and tolfenamic acid are two safe alternatives to diclofenac and other harmful NSAIDs. Experts say the immediate priority is to ban drugs that are harmful to vultures.
“It’s doable because there are safer alternatives,” Bowden said. Notably, meloxicam, one of two safe NSAIDs, was tested on African vultures a few years ago and found to be safe. The drug has also been tested in India at several levels. It was released directly into the stomachs of raptors and other scavenger avian species.
Experts say that although diclofenac was a late starter, it proved to be popular because its mechanism of action is much faster. Diclofenac is also economical. The patent was taken out a long time ago and several companies started manufacturing the drug, resulting in high supply and demand.
According to Dr. Percy Avari, Assistant Professor, Department of Poultry Science,
Also, many are unaware of the harmful effects of diclofenac, eclofenac, ketoprofen and nimesulide on vultures. “It is essential to educate the people who work in the field.
We should also research other safer alternatives so that vets have other options. Also, treatment of sick or geriatric cows with these harmful drugs should be completely stopped,” Dr. Avari said.
