Egyptian vultures face perilous life in TN, numbers dwindle to single digit

COIMBATORE: The Union government banned the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac on cattle in 2008. The Tamil Nadu government went a step ahead and restricted the use of anti-inflammatory drugs ketoprofen and flunixin in 2015 and 2019 respectively, considering their adverse impact on the health of predatory birds. Despite these measures, the State is not a happy nesting ground for Egyptian vultures, a study has revealed.

According to Arulagam, which works in the field of vulture conservation, four species of vultures are found in TN, including Egyptian vultures (rarely spotted). “Egyptian vulture population (mature individuals) is between 12,000 and 38,000 globally. But only a few are found in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. These birds of prey have become almost extinct in TN. There is no authentic breeding record except for one vagrant observation in Krishnagiri eight years ago,” said Bharathidasan secretary of Arulagam.

When compared to TN, Egyptian vultures' population is high in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat, since prey and nesting places are abundant, Farmers in those States have been following the practice of leaving carcasses (without poison) in the open. In Tamil Nadu, cattle owners bury dead cattle despite awareness campaigns conducted by the forest department, local bodies and health department. This leads to a scarcity of food for the vultures, he added.

Further, researchers say the impact of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Diclofenac, deworming drugs, rodenticide poisoning and chemicals released by tanneries could be the reasons for the decline in its population.

"These scavenger birds prefer insects as prey. They are fond of eating worms in the dung of cattle. Farmers administer deworming drugs to cattle and these chemicals enter vultures through the food chain and affect the reproductive cycle. Rats that die due to rodenticide poisoning, when eaten by the bird, could be fatal. Vultures used to congregate around the tanning industries in search of food. Initially, tanneries used plant-based materials only. As the volume of tanning increased, they started using chemicals laden with chromium, sodium and ammonium, which might have struck a death knell on vultures," Bharathidasan explained.

"Two Egyptian vultures were rescued and kept in captivity. A bird in Guindy zoo has recovered and is ready to be released. Another rescued from Coimbatore is unfit to fly. The State government can initiate a captive breeding programme in zoos," he added.

When contacted, Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests said they have constituted a committee for vulture protection. "We will also consider the possibility of leaving carcasses of elephants and other wild animals in the open instead of burying them," she said. She added that the department would explore the possibilities of captive breeding of vultures.