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Kathmandu to host conclave on South Asia`s dying vultures
New Delhi, Feb 03: Concern for South Asia`s dying vultures will bring together officials and experts from countries around the globe, including the US, India, Bhutan and Pakistan, for a conclave in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu from February 5 to 6.
New Delhi, Feb 03: Concern for South Asia's dying vultures will bring together officials and experts from countries around the globe, including the US, India, Bhutan and Pakistan, for a conclave in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu from February 5 to 6.
The international summit, entitled veterinary use of the drug diclofenac: A new environmental threat exposed by the collapse of vulture populations in South Asia, is being organised by the US-based peregrine foundation, and is supported by the American government. Summit participants will address the recent phenomenon of alarming mortality of vultures in South Asia, and their impending extinction and the likely consequences for South Asia's ecosystems.
The peregrine foundation, which carried out a research on the subject, has concluded that use of the generic drug diclofenac in livestock appears to be responsible for the deaths of many of the vultures, which die when they scavenge carcasses containing the drug's residues. The foundation has organised the conclave to expedite this transfer of knowledge and responsibility to participating governments. At the meeting, it will also offer recommendations to governments of the vultures' range states.
Asian vulture population declines were first measured in the Keoladeo National Park in 1996, with reductions in excess of 95 per cent recorded across the country by 2000, a note of the US Embassy said here today.
Three species have now been listed as critically endangered by birdlife international. The single largest cause of mortality (85 per cent) was attributed to renal failure. By April 2003 the peregrine fund had identified a 100 per cent correlation between renal failure in dead or dying vultures collected in the field in Pakistan and the presence of diclofenac, it said.
Subsequent experiments in Pakistan demonstrated that very small doses of doclofenac cause deaths in vultures from renal failure and that fatal amounts of the drug can be ingested by vultures eating livestock that die after being recently treated with recommended veterinary doses.
Diclofenac, and possibly other drugs in the class of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), represent a new environmental threat with demonstrated capacity to decimate populations of formerly abundant birds in a very short period of time, the embassy note said.
The deaths of vultures and the population collapse have demonstrated a widespread toxic effect. These results are important to toxicologists and conservationists worldwide and should lead to better control of drug contamination in the environment, according to the statement. Bureau Report
The peregrine foundation, which carried out a research on the subject, has concluded that use of the generic drug diclofenac in livestock appears to be responsible for the deaths of many of the vultures, which die when they scavenge carcasses containing the drug's residues. The foundation has organised the conclave to expedite this transfer of knowledge and responsibility to participating governments. At the meeting, it will also offer recommendations to governments of the vultures' range states.
Asian vulture population declines were first measured in the Keoladeo National Park in 1996, with reductions in excess of 95 per cent recorded across the country by 2000, a note of the US Embassy said here today.
Three species have now been listed as critically endangered by birdlife international. The single largest cause of mortality (85 per cent) was attributed to renal failure. By April 2003 the peregrine fund had identified a 100 per cent correlation between renal failure in dead or dying vultures collected in the field in Pakistan and the presence of diclofenac, it said.
Subsequent experiments in Pakistan demonstrated that very small doses of doclofenac cause deaths in vultures from renal failure and that fatal amounts of the drug can be ingested by vultures eating livestock that die after being recently treated with recommended veterinary doses.
Diclofenac, and possibly other drugs in the class of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), represent a new environmental threat with demonstrated capacity to decimate populations of formerly abundant birds in a very short period of time, the embassy note said.
The deaths of vultures and the population collapse have demonstrated a widespread toxic effect. These results are important to toxicologists and conservationists worldwide and should lead to better control of drug contamination in the environment, according to the statement. Bureau Report