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Effectiveness of Action in India to Reduce Exposure of Gyps Vultures to the Toxic Veterinary Drug Diclofenac

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Listed:
  • Richard Cuthbert
  • Mark A Taggart
  • Vibhu Prakash
  • Mohini Saini
  • Devendra Swarup
  • Suchitra Upreti
  • Rafael Mateo
  • Soumya Sunder Chakraborty
  • Parag Deori
  • Rhys E Green

Abstract

Contamination of their carrion food supply with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac has caused rapid population declines across the Indian subcontinent of three species of Gyps vultures endemic to South Asia. The governments of India, Pakistan and Nepal took action in 2006 to prevent the veterinary use of diclofenac on domesticated livestock, the route by which contamination occurs. We analyse data from three surveys of the prevalence and concentration of diclofenac residues in carcasses of domesticated ungulates in India, carried out before and after the implementation of a ban on veterinary use. There was little change in the prevalence and concentration of diclofenac between a survey before the ban and one conducted soon after its implementation, with the percentage of carcasses containing diclofenac in these surveys estimated at 10.8 and 10.7%, respectively. However, both the prevalence and concentration of diclofenac had fallen markedly 7–31 months after the implementation of the ban, with the true prevalence in this third survey estimated at 6.5%. Modelling of the impact of this reduction in diclofenac on the expected rate of decline of the oriental white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in India indicates that the decline rate has decreased to 40% of the rate before the ban, but is still likely to be rapid (about 18% year−1). Hence, further efforts to remove diclofenac from vulture food are still needed if the future recovery or successful reintroduction of vultures is to be feasible.

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  • Richard Cuthbert & Mark A Taggart & Vibhu Prakash & Mohini Saini & Devendra Swarup & Suchitra Upreti & Rafael Mateo & Soumya Sunder Chakraborty & Parag Deori & Rhys E Green, 2011. "Effectiveness of Action in India to Reduce Exposure of Gyps Vultures to the Toxic Veterinary Drug Diclofenac," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(5), pages 1-11, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0019069
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019069
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. J. Lindsay Oaks & Martin Gilbert & Munir Z. Virani & Richard T. Watson & Carol U. Meteyer & Bruce A. Rideout & H. L. Shivaprasad & Shakeel Ahmed & Muhammad Jamshed Iqbal Chaudhry & Muhammad Arshad & S, 2004. "Diclofenac residues as the cause of vulture population decline in Pakistan," Nature, Nature, vol. 427(6975), pages 630-633, February.
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