Did the extinction of vultures lead to the death of 5 lakh people? Reports say…
Vulture deaths: Vultures once hovered over vast landfills, scavenging for cattle carcasses. Occasionally, they posed a threat to pilots by getting caught in jet engines during takeoff near airports. However, just over two decades ago, India’s vulture population began to decline rapidly due to certain medicines used to treat sick cattle.
By the mid-1990s, their numbers, once as high as 5 crore, had plummeted to nearly zero. The primary culprit was diclofenac, a cheap non-steroidal painkiller for cattle that proved lethal to vultures. Recently, the State of India’s Birds released a study, revealing that banning diclofenac for animal treatment in 2006 drastically reduced vulture deaths in some areas. However, it’s sobering to note that three species of vultures have still suffered considerable population drops – with a stunning 91% to 98% loss.
Death of more than 5 lakh people?
“The inadvertent death of these birds led to the spread of deadly bacteria and infection. This resulted in the death of about five lakh people in five years”, American Economic Association Journal.
“Vultures are thought to keep nature clean, they play a vital role in removing bacteria and disease-causing animals from our environment,” says Eyal Frank, one of the study’s authors and an assistant professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.
Researchers have found out that during the period from 2000 to 2005, the vulture population plummeted drastically, causing over 100,000 vultures to die prematurely each year. As a result, the country suffered an economic loss annually, which amounted to a staggering $69 billion due to these untimely deaths.
About Vultures
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture. Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. On the other hand, New World vultures are restricted to North and South America and consist of seven identified species, all belonging to the Cathartidae family.