A GLOBAL REVIEW ON CAUSES OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN FREE-LIVING VULTURES

Abstract

Vultures are specialized scavengers that provide fundamental ecosystem services by quickly removing remains and limiting pathogen spread. During the 1990s, South Asian vulture populations went through catastrophic declines primarily due to exposure to veterinary drugs Scientific investigations confirmed that intake of contaminated livestock carcasses caused severe renal failure and death in several Gyps species. This review summarizes mechanisms of toxicity, pathological findings, population-level impacts, and conservation interventions. A major contributing factor to their reduction is the use of specific medications administered to cattle. These medications can harm vultures' kidneys and kill them if they consume the corpses of animals that have been treated. Poisoning is yet another serious issue. By accident, vultures can occasionally be killed by agricultural chemicals or poison designed to kill wild animals. Reduced safe nesting and feeding grounds are the result of natural habitat loss brought on by urbanization, deforestation, and human activity. Their breeding success is reduced as a result of this stress. Power lines and electrical poles are another threat to vultures, as they have the potential to electrocute them. Accidents involving cars and wind turbines pose additional hazards. In certain places, food scarcity and environmental contamination exacerbate their health problems.