At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The white-rumped vulture was once one of the most abundant large birds of prey in the world. It is now assessed as Critically Endangered after a catastrophic crash.
Its numbers fell by an estimated huge percentage within a few years.
Range & habitat
South and Southeast Asia.
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
The collapse of the white-rumped vulture — driven by a veterinary drug — is one of the fastest declines of any bird and a stark lesson in unintended chemical impacts on wildlife.
South Asian vulture declines have been widely linked to the veterinary drug diclofenac.
Sources
Sources for White-rumped Vulture
- IUCN Red List — look up White-rumped Vulture (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the white-rumped vulture's collapse?
Published accounts point above all to the veterinary anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, which poisoned vultures that fed on the carcasses of treated livestock, causing a catastrophic decline across South Asia.
Why are vultures so important?
As scavengers, vultures rapidly clean up carcasses and limit the spread of disease; their loss has had knock-on effects for sanitation and other scavengers. See the IUCN Red List.
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