Page 34 - Ex-Situ Updates - Double Edition

Species in focus Long-billed vultures |Credit: Mandy West

The Asian Vulture Conservation Story

How ex-situ work is key to Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction

Text & Photos: Dr Chris Bowden

Globally Threatened Species Officer & SAVE Programme Manager
Co-Chair of IUCN Vulture Specialist Group

From being some of the most abundant large raptors One key action agreed in 2004, considering the

in the world to a Critically Endangered status on the terrifying speed and extinction trajectory of the
IUCN Red Data list in the space of just ten years – the ongoing declines (40-50% declines per year!), and
Asian vulture story is almost unparalleled. The puzzle recognising that removing Diclofenac was unlikely to
of what was driving declines of these magnificent and be easy or fast, was the urgent establishment of

keystone species with their important role in cleaning conservation breeding programmes to secure the
the environment was unraveled only by 2004, when three most directly threatened vulture species. This was
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quickly endorsed by the Indian Government National
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the veterinary NSAID Diclofenac, widely used for
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cattle, often non-judiciously, was identified as the main Vulture Action Plan in 2006. With a combination of
driver. Because domestic cattle form such a major part NGOs working with state governments, there was just
of these vultures’ diets, any toxic substance given to enough time to react while there were still some wild
cattle can have a devastating knock-on impact on birds available as founder populations.
scavengers that consume them.
Vultures exit release aviary in Nepal | Credit: Bird Conservation Nepal
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