Despite a ban, diclofenac still kills Indian vultures

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Diclofenac may be banned on papers to keep the falling population of vultures in India, but it is still killing the scavenger birds, reveals the death of two vultures at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmadabad (IIMA) last week. Wildlife enthusiasts claim that the vultures died of poisoning from the veterinary drug diclofenac.

White rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

According to sources, two dead White rumped Vultures from the IIMA campus were handed over to Jivdaya Charitable Trust, a veterinary trust working to save injured birds and animals, in Ahmadabad on August 16 and 21. The sources with the trust said that both the birds died of visceral gout – a condition caused by diclofenac poisoning.

 According to studies, the veterinary drugs containing diclofenac, used for treatment of cattle, stays with the carcass causing visceral gout in vultures, when they feed on the dead animals. Diclofenac poisoning has drastically brought down the vulture population in India, pushing them to the brink of extinction. White rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) is included in the critically endangered category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for their drastic fall in the population.

The incident has brought down the vulture population in Ahmadabad. Latest vulture population data in an around Ahmadabad shows that the city may have anything between 20 to 50 vultures. Majority of them, around 20, were at the IIMA campus. With the present incident, the vulture population at IIMA campus has come down to 18. However, it is estimated that the city outskirts may be sheltering about 200 vultures.

Diclofenac substitute campaigns

According to conservation enthusiasts, the use of diclofenac is still rampant in Ahmadabad and other parts of Gujarat. Despite a campaign to replace diclofenac with an alternative drug Meloxicam, which does not cause poisoning to vultures, the killer drug is still around, says an activist.

A recent study on threat to vulture population in India found that a variant of diclofenac named Aceclofenac is used as a veterinary medicine in India which may still be contributing to the decline of vulture population in India.

The lone bat species in Kutch district threatened by serious habitat destruction near Hamirsir Lake

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Bhuj is gradually recuperating from the devastating earthquake which claimed 12290 lives in 2001. Now, the developmental activities are at full swing, the wreckage is being replaced by new constructions. However, the developmental and rehabilitation activities around the Hamirsir lake in the Kachch district is adversely affecting the population of the lone bat species in the district in the Indian state of Gujarat, the Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus).

Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus)
Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Fondly called as 'Vagol' in local Guajarati, the bat species is the only large-sized fruit bat species found in Kachchh District. According to a research correspondent published in the latest issue of the Current Science Journal, the bat species has been using the small vegetation patches near the Harmisir Lake as a major roosting site. However, it is facing serious habitat destruction due to cutting of large trees in and around the lake as part of the reconstruction and developmental activities, says the correspondence reported by researchers at the Institute of Desert Ecology, Gujarat.

“The reconstruction and developmental initiatives have resulted in the cutting down of large trees which had provided shelter to the flying fox population in the past.  The natural habitat like forest patches and larger trees are disappearing due to rapid industrialization, urbanization” says the correspondence.

Disturbance from Laser shows

Moreover, the tourists activities in and around the lake are also taking a toll on the Indian flying fox population here. The influx of tourists and the resulting vehicular traffic are additional threats. According to the correspondence the laser light shows during the ‘Kutch Carnival’, a tourist fest, is also disturbing the Indian Flying Foxes in the area.

According to the correspondence, the wide presence of an invasive plant Prosopis juliflora, is also posing a major threat to the natural habitat of this bat species in Kutch district.

Conservation significance of Pteropus giganteus in Kutch

Earlier studies have shown that bats usually play a major role in pollination and seed dispersal of many plant species. Since it is the lone bat species in the district, it will be crucial in the pollination of many plants in the area. The disturbances caused to the habitat of the organism will thus take a toll on the population of many plants here thus bringing down the quality of the eco system, points out experts.

Though Indian Flying Fox is categorized under the Least Concern group in the Red Data book of IUCN, experts point out that the population trend of this organism is decreasing.

Calling for immediate attention towards the conversation statusof bats, the correspondence says that the bats have been given a least conservation priority in the area.  

“The time has come for the conservation of all animal groups, including the Flying Fox for maintaining ecological balance and conservation of biodiversity”, says the correspondence. 

Do you think conserving Indian flying foxes in Kutch as important? Share your views in the comments.