Next time you see a vulture picking over a carcass, say 'thank you!'
Summary
Researchers found that the decline in vulture populations in India, due to a painkiller harmful to them, had severe health impacts. The absence of vultures increased diseases and deaths by allowing other scavengers and bacteria to thrive. Overall, many scavenger species, like vultures, are at risk.Key Facts
- The vulture population in India dropped from around 50 million to just thousands starting in the mid-1990s.
- Diclofenac, a painkiller for livestock, is toxic to vultures and was responsible for their decline.
- The reduction in vultures led to about 100,000 human deaths annually in the early 2000s due to the absence of these scavengers.
- Vultures quickly clean up animal carcasses, preventing the spread of dangerous bacteria.
- Their decline contributed to an increase in feral dogs, leading to more rabies cases.
- Around one-third of all scavenger species are declining or are threatened with extinction.
- Declines in scavenger populations can lead to more diseases that affect humans.
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