The three Gyps Vultures, namely the White-rumped Vulture, Indian Vulture, and Red-headed Vulture, are thriving in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve of the Moyar Valley. Recently, Indian vultures faced a decline due to the use of the veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (NSAID). In response, India banned diclofenac for veterinary purposes in 2006, along with other toxic drugs for vultures such as nimesulide, aceclofenac, carprofen, flunixin, and ketoprofen. Vultures also face site-specific threats like retaliation killings around the Moyar Valley in Tamil Nadu. Meloxicam and Tolfenamic acid are recommended as the safest drugs for vultures.
To raise awareness about the importance of vultures in maintaining ecological balance, a photographic exhibition was held at the Department of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, on International Vulture Awareness Day, September 2, 2023. Students from various colleges actively participated and shared their expertise on vultures and their role in ecosystem services.
Venkitachalam, Assistant Professor of Zoology at Kongunadu Arts and Science College, has been monitoring vultures and the availability of toxic drugs in pharmacies around the Moyar Valley since 2010. While the availability of meloxicam is encouraging, the wide range of untested NSAIDs is a concern. To protect vultures in Tamil Nadu, it is recommended to ban other identified vulture-toxic NSAID drugs and take action against pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacies that disregard these regulations to safeguard vulture populations for sustainable ecological balance.
