Wildlife

Wild Vulture Lead and Veterinary Drug Poisoning

Vultures face catastrophic mortality from secondary lead poisoning and from veterinary drug diclofenac in livestock carcasses.

Key Facts

Diclofenac poisoning caused 99% declines in three Asian vulture species in the 1990s
Lead poisoning from carcasses with lead shot kills North American vultures
Meloxicam is a safe alternative to diclofenac for livestock pain management
Vultures provide critical ecosystem services by removing disease-carrying carcasses

Welfare Considerations

Vulture poisoning causes prolonged suffering before death through organ failure. The near-extinction of Asian vultures from diclofenac demonstrated the catastrophic scale of pharmaceutical poisoning risk. Vulture welfare is directly linked to pharmaceutical choice and ammunition type in agricultural communities.

What You Can Do

Advocate for diclofenac replacement with meloxicam in countries with vulture populations
Support mandatory non-toxic ammunition requirements in vulture range countries
Donate to vulture monitoring and conservation programs
Never use anti-inflammatories in livestock near vulture-using carcass sites