The ecological importance of vultures

What role do vultures play within the ecosystem?

• Scavengers!• Vultures consume 70% of carrion in

Africa• They are able to eat up to 20% of their

own body weight• Vultures are found through out the old

and the new world• Convergent evolution• Different vulture species are specialised

to specific rolls

Lappet-Faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)

Hooded vulture(Necrosyrtes monachus)

Bearded vulture(Gypaetus barbatus)

What enables them to perform this roll?

• Cape vultures foraging range - 38,327 km2 (Bird Conservation International (2007) 17:331–339.)

• Large broad wings for soaring on thermals

1) Travel 2) Detection

• Spot a 3ft carcass from 4 miles away• Turkey vultures detect ethy mercaptan by

smell

3) Resistance

• 10x more corrosive stomach then ours• Unique genes directed at immune response

pathways• Immunity to diseases such as anthrax and

botulism• Use of bacteria as competitors of other

pathogens

Loss of vultures in India

During the 1990’s a reduction in vulture populations throughout India and other neighboruing countries became apparent. This turned out to be due to mass renal

failure.• Cause wasn’t identified until 2003• It was Diclofenac

• An anti inflammatory drug

• Commonly known as voltaran• Banned for veterinary use in India in

2006

• 3 species critically endangered

• 99.4% decline in white back vultures

• 40 million vultures in India in 1993

Impacts of loss of vultures in India

Feral dogs

• 7 million increase in feral dog numbers• 1992 to 2006, nearly 40 million

additional dog bites• Increases risk of rabies• Increase in mammal to mammal contact

-Increases risk of disease spread

contamination

• Cow carcasses no longer disposed of properly without vultures

• Results in contamination of water • In addition to the dead vultures

economy

• Estimated cost of 34 billion US dollars:-Feral dog removal-New infrastructure for carcass removal-rabies treatment and other diseases