On Vulture

In Ramayana, the Hindu epic, there appear two demi-gods who had the form of vultures, Jatayu and his brother Sampaati with whom are associated stories of courage and self-sacrifice . Although the vulture plays an important natural role, in the Western world, and of late in India also its image is quite negative.

Vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead animals. Except Antarctica and Oceania, , Vultures are found on everywhere. Vultures seldom attack healthy animals as they feed on the wounded or sick. In hot regions like ours these birds are of great value as scavengers.

According to available reports, 99 per cent of the country’s vulture population has vanished mainly because they have been consuming carcasses of cows treated with an anti-inflammatory drug Diclofenac Sodium. This has been caused by the practice of medicating working farm animals with diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with anti-inflammatory and pain killing actions. Its manufacturing was banned in 2006.

The decline in vultures has led to serious hygiene problems in India as carcasses of dead animals now tend to rot, or be eaten by rats or wild dogs, rather than be tidied up by vultures. Rabies among these other scavengers is a major health threat. India has one of the world's highest incidences of rabies. The decline in vultures causes particular problems for certain communities, such as the Parsi, who practice sky burials, where the human dead are put on the top of ‘Towers of Silence’ and are eaten by vultures, leaving only dry bones.

The rising number of vultures recently in the Jim Corbett national park in Uttarakhand finally promises to give some hope. The positive reports about the population are significant considering a wide concern that vultures may soon become extinct.
“No doubt vulture population is decreasing in our country and wildlife experts are concerned. But I am very happy that I sighted over 100 vultures of three different species here. There are at least 20 pairs of Seyranian, there are around 35 pairs of Himalayan vultures and we even saw the cylinder built birds. This is a very good symbol. I am very happy,” said P.K. Patro, Divisional Forest Officer, Ramnagar.
Scientists warn that Asian vultures can become extinct within a decade unless the livestock drug blamed for their rapid demise is eliminated.
Vultures find a place in Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the country’s only legal framework to protect endangered species, which prohibits hunting and trafficking of endangered species. Its high time we do not ignore the issue further.