How the vulture decline in India resulted in human health crisis

The near-extinction of vultures in India during the 1990s, primarily due to the widespread use of the cattle drug diclofenac, has had devastating consequences, leading to over half a million excess human deaths from rabies and contaminated water. Vultures, which once thrived in India, saw their numbers plummet as diclofenac, a drug toxic to them, caused a drastic population decline. This loss of vultures resulted in an increase in carcass pollution, as fewer animals were available to consume dead livestock. The unconsumed carcasses attracted feral dogs, whose populations surged, leading to a significant rise in rabies cases and subsequent human fatalities. Economists and ecologists emphasize the critical importance of keystone species like vultures in maintaining ecological balance and protecting human health. Vultures play an essential role in the ecosystem by preventing the spread of disease through their consumption of carcasses. Their decline highlights the far-reaching impacts of biodiversity loss on human safety and well-being.