Wild Birds

Vulture Conservation: Poisoning and Population Collapse

Vulture populations across Africa and Asia have collapsed by up to 99% in some regions due to poisoning, traditional medicine demand, and persecution, with devastating ecosystem welfare consequences.

Key Facts

African vulture populations declined by 62% between 1969 and 2013
Poisoned carcasses placed by poachers kill vultures to prevent their circling alerting rangers
Diclofenac, a veterinary anti-inflammatory, killed 95% of South Asian vultures before being banned
Vultures can consume anthrax-infected carcasses without harm, preventing disease spread
India banned veterinary diclofenac in 2006, allowing slow vulture population recovery

Welfare Considerations

Vultures poisoned by diclofenac experience gout, organ failure, and prolonged suffering before death. Mass poisoning events from single carcasses can kill hundreds of birds simultaneously. The collapse of vulture populations has downstream welfare consequences for livestock herds and wildlife communities through increased disease transmission from decaying carcasses.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns to ban veterinary diclofenac globally
Donate to vulture conservation programs in Africa and Asia
Oppose illegal wildlife poisoning through reporting and advocacy
Support research into safe veterinary drug alternatives
Engage with veterinary professional bodies to promote vulture-safe drug policies