Vultures and Diclofenac

September 21, 2023

Vultures are a protected species. They clean up dead animal carcasses. A group of vultures, which is called a “wake” can completely devour a dead cow in 40 minutes. In most countries vultures are considered a “keystone species,” one with significant impact on the ecosystem. Vultures have a highly acidic digestive tract which kills most germs left on dead meat.

However, in India as far back as the 1990’s cattle farmers were using the drug diclofenac (OTC called Voltaren) to treat cows. Diclofenac is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug poisonous to vultures (and other birds) and as a result the vulture population declined by 90%. Rotting carcasses were left to rats and feral dogs which spread diseases to humans. And the dead remains also leached into the water supply. The loss of human life in India approximated 500,000.

Vultures are very large birds with wing spans of 6-8 feet. They have very strong beaks to tear meat from bones. For most people, vultures appear to be nasty, smelly birds, but for our environment, they serve a very important purpose. They must be protected.