Vultures are essential ecosystem engineers facing catastrophic population crashes across Africa and Asia, driven by poisoning, collisions, and persecution.
Vulture welfare concerns are significant and underappreciated. Diclofenac poisoning causes acute renal failure — a slow, painful death that killed tens of millions of South Asian vultures. Intentional poisoning with poachers' poisons (carbofuran, furadan) placed in carcasses causes mass die-off events where entire flocks feeding together are killed. Lead poisoning from ammunition in carcasses causes progressive neurological deterioration — affected vultures show tremors, loss of coordination, and inability to fly before death. The tragedy of vulture declines compounds welfare and ecological harm: without vultures, carcasses decompose slowly, spreading disease and costing billions in livestock mortality and medical costs.