With 97% Of S. Asian Vultures Dead, Indian Bans Toxic Veterinary Drug

[hatrack]

Whew! Just in time!

NEW DELHI — India has banned the production and sale of an anti-inflammatory drug used in cattle that is poisoning the country's vultures one step up the food chain. Vultures fulfil a vital role, stripping down animal carcasses that would otherwise slowly rot and attract disease-spreading feral dogs and vermin.

But the number of South Asia's Oriental white-backed, long-billed and slender-billed vultures has plummeted more than 97 percent over 15 years, which scientists say is largely due to the widespread use of the drug diclofenac in cattle, which causes fatal liver damage in vultures.

Now, India has ordered drug companies to stop making and marketing diclofenac for veterinary use within three months.

"This ban is exceptionally good news and the crucial step we have all been looking for," said Chris Bowden, head of the Asian Vulture Programme at Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, in a statement. "The decline of vultures has been quicker than any other wild bird including the dodo -- and we know what happened to them."

EDIT

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=10529

[NYC]

1. 97% decline in 15 years.

That's amazing.

[Up2Late]

2. 97%! WOW! Well, at least they finally figured it out...

...this was/is a major problem for India.

It reminds me of how we almost Killed off the our Bald Eagle in the 1960's-'70's.

[shain from kane]

3. Pate de foie gras vulture. Yummy. n/t

[crikkett]

4. imagine what it does to *human* livers

:scared: