Vultures are experiencing catastrophic population declines from poisoning. As obligate scavengers, their welfare and ecological role are uniquely threatened by toxic carcasses across Africa and Asia.
Vulture welfare represents one of the most severe and rapid wildlife welfare crises globally. Poisoning events can kill hundreds of birds at a single site, causing agonizing deaths. The loss of individuals also collapses community social structures as vultures are long-lived with complex social learning. Asian vultures reduced by 95-99% from diclofenac poisoning show the scale of welfare disaster possible from a single pharmaceutical. The anti-poaching and poisoning dimension means addressing vulture welfare requires both conservation and law enforcement responses. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs safe for vultures exist and replacing diclofenac with these alternatives has been shown to work in South Asia.