How decline of Indian vultures led to 500,000 human deaths

[muriel_volestrangler]

But more than two decades ago, India’s vultures began dying because of a drug used to treat sick cows.

By the mid-1990s, the 50 million-strong vulture population had plummeted to near zero because of diclofenac, a cheap non-steroidal painkiller for cattle that is fatal to vultures. Birds that fed on carcasses of livestock treated with the drug suffered from kidney failure and died.

Since the 2006 ban on veterinary use of diclofenac, the decline has slowed in some areas, but at least three species have suffered long-term losses of 91-98%, according to the latest State of India's Birds, external report.

And that’s not all, according to a new peer-reviewed study. The unintentional decimation of these heavy, scavenging birds allowed deadly bacteria and infections to proliferate, leading to the deaths of about half a million people over five years, says the study published in the American Economic Association.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c28e2pvzn3lo

Unintended consequences. The original use of painkillers for livestock seemed kind. This shows that scientific monitoring of all kinds of things in nature is needed.

[mopinko]

1. went to india on 09. there's a small park in mumbai. it's on a cliff.

1 of only a few parks on that whole city. there were a lot of ravens about. we asked the guide about it. he walked us to the edge of the park, where there was a big drop off. he pointed to a rocky spot about 50’ below.
he told us that was a place where they did sky burials. they put the bodies there and they were eaten by vultures and ravens.
i hope they have enough vultures left to take care of the human dead. tho i suppose that flock was ok, cuz humans dont get much medicine there.

[Voltaire2]

2. They don't have any vultures.

It’s a huge problem for the Zoroastrian community in Mumbai and elsewhere in India. The bodies now just rot. What used to take a few days now takes months.

[mopinko]

3. damn.

my trip made me sad. such a bleak place. just bleak.
so little green, so few birds. the only other park we found was the 1 at the bhagwan’s compound. also went to the botanic gardens, which was a treat. but even there, there were so few birds.
u think you’re going to a whole other continent, you’re gonna add to your life list, but…