Vultures could be extinct within a decade in India

The numbers, say scientists, might be even more drastic because the study concentrated only on populations in or near Protected Areas. The study led by Dr. Vibhu Prakash suggested that all three species could be reduced to a few hundred or less within a decade. Though there is a ban on the manufacture of diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug used for livestock, and the main reason behind the vultures' decline in the country, it still remains widely available. Additionally, diclofenac formulated for humans is also being freely used. Scientists recommend the complete removal of the drug from livestock use, coupled with captive breeding centres to restore populations.

June 2008