At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Stable
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Indian vulture suffered one of the fastest declines of any bird after poisoning by a veterinary drug. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It is a large scavenging vulture of South Asia.
Range & habitat
South Asia, including India and Pakistan.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Poisoning by the veterinary drug diclofenac in livestock carcasses
- Reduced food
- Habitat change
Why it matters
Part of the catastrophic South Asian vulture collapse, the Indian vulture shows how a single veterinary drug can devastate wildlife and the sanitation vultures provide.
Sources
Sources for Indian Vulture
- IUCN Red List — look up Indian Vulture (authoritative status)
- BirdLife International
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Indian vulture's collapse?
Published accounts point above all to the veterinary anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, which poisoned vultures feeding on the carcasses of treated livestock, causing a catastrophic decline.
Why are vultures so important?
As scavengers they rapidly remove carcasses and limit disease; their loss in South Asia had serious knock-on effects for sanitation and other scavengers. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: