Mysterious Disease Claims A Heavy Toll Of Vultures In Rajasthan

Vultures Falling Prey to Fatal Viral Strain

JAIPUR: A mysterious disease afflicting vultures in Rajasthan has led to sharp decline in their population. The Gyps and white-backed long-billed vultures, two important species of scavengers, have registered a 96 per cent drop in population

Lab to Study Vulture Deaths

in the past three years and are literally on the verge of extinction. Alarmed by the figures, the State wildlife department has ordered an immediate enquiry and a census beginning to ascertain the exact cause and extent of the damage.

Based on premliminary reports experts suspect that the birds are probably succumbing to an unknown viral strain, which affects their liver, causing death in less than a month. Dr Martin Gilbert, representing a US-based wildlife foundation, says though the disease is non-infectious, the speed with which it's killing the vultures is alarming. "Pathologically it does not look like an infectious disease. But it's killing them very quickly. The birds are all dying in very good body condition, it's not a long, insideous illness that's killing them. We have run basic screening cultures looking for viruses, bacteria and we have come up with interesting findings but it's all incidental to our problem and we have specifically gone to look for known causes of renal failure, strains, virus, etc," Gilbert said .

Experts say considering the migratory nature of the birds a new census is essential to find a solution to the problem. "Long-billed vulture is still there but it is also on the verge of extinction as more than two-third's of it has already finished. Besides, one can find vultures only at certain places, one is their nests, and near carcasses. But these could be vultures who have migrated from foreign countries, but it leads people to think that there are enough vultures. Unless and untill it is found out in a census in one day or a week how many vultures are dying, it's going to be very difficult," said Harsh Vardhan, secretary, Tourism and Wildlife Society of India.

The last vulture census in the State was held in 2000, in which a total of 16,912 birds were recorded all over the State. Jaipur topped the chart with a population density of 336 birds per-square km. The Gyps and long-billed vultures are a common Asiatic species and are found in Africa as well. Many migrate to India during the winter months mainly for breeding.