Context:
The Indian government has banned several animal painkillers, including Nimesulide, Diclofenac, ketoprofen, and aceclofenac, because of their toxicity to vultures. These bans did not recover the population because the laws are poorly enforced and reproduce very slowly.
- Nimesulide, diclofenac, ketoprofen, and aceclofenac are all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are toxic to vultures and can cause painful deaths.
Vultures
- IUCN Status
- Critically Endangered
- Ecological Significance
- Vultures play a critical role in ecology because they dispose of dead animals.
- One study established a connection between a rise in human deaths and the fall of vulture populations.
- Being proposed is the three-step solution
- Monitoring veterinary drugs toxicity, evolution of alternative measures, and safe zones for vultures.
- Conservation of vultures should be the centerpiece of all ecological efforts.
Vulture Conservation in India
- Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centre (VCBC)
- VCBC, Located in Pinjore, Haryana, established in 2001, is doing research on decline of vulture population.
- Upgraded as VCBC in 2004 for conservation breeding of three critically endangered species.
- Action Plan for Vulture Conservation (APVC)
- It started in 2020 includes expansion of breeding program to include red-headed and Egyptian vultures.
- Establishes rescue centers at Bhopal, Guwahati, Hyderabad, and Pinjore.
- Vulture safe zones
- are designated that ban harmful veterinary drugs.
- Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary is a sanctuary in Karnataka that covers 3.4641 km2.
- Track Birds system
- uses birds to identify poisoning incidents.
