Vultures face an escalating poisoning crisis as poisoned carcasses kill entire flocks, threatening multiple species with extinction across Africa and Asia.
Vulture poisoning causes mass acute suffering and death. Organophosphate and carbamate poisoning causes seizures, paralysis, and prolonged agonizing death. Dozens to hundreds of birds die from a single incident. The ecosystem consequences compound the welfare impact: without vultures, carcasses remain and spread disease, affecting mammals, birds, and humans throughout the ecosystem. The scale and acuteness of vulture poisoning events make them among the most significant animal welfare disasters occurring repeatedly across Africa and Asia, yet they receive relatively little public attention compared to more charismatic species.