Vultures are among the most threatened bird groups globally. Poisoning — both targeted and accidental — is killing vultures at catastrophic rates across Africa and Asia.
Vultures die agonizing deaths from both intentional poisoning and from consuming carcasses treated with veterinary drugs like diclofenac. Death from diclofenac involves visceral gout — uric acid crystal deposits in organs — causing prolonged suffering before death. Intentionally poisoned carcasses kill dozens to hundreds of vultures simultaneously. The welfare of individual vultures is thus dramatically affected by both veterinary drug policy and anti-poaching policy, making these animals dependent on regulatory decisions far removed from direct animal welfare advocacy.