Once numbering in the millions, South Asia's vulture populations have suffered the most catastrophic decline of any bird group in recorded history.
Population decline since 1990s
Vulture species in India
Critically Endangered
Vultures treated by WR (2020-25)
How a common painkiller nearly wiped out an entire group of species.
Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) widely used to treat livestock pain, is lethal to vultures. When vultures feed on the carcasses of animals treated with diclofenac shortly before death, the drug causes acute kidney failure — killing vultures within days. This single drug drove the White-rumped Vulture from being the most abundant large raptor on Earth to near-extinction.
Mysterious mass die-offs observed. White-rumped Vulture — once described as 'possibly the most abundant large bird of prey in the world' — starts disappearing.
Scientists discover that diclofenac, a common veterinary painkiller given to livestock, causes fatal kidney failure in vultures that feed on treated carcasses.
IUCN Red List upgrades Egyptian Vulture from Least Concern to Endangered as Indian populations show >35% annual decline. Road transect counts dropped 68% between 2000-2003.
The Indian government bans diclofenac for veterinary use. However, illegal use continues and human-formulation diclofenac is often diverted for animal treatment.
Galligan et al. (2014) report indications that Egyptian Vulture declines appear to have slowed after the ban, though small numbers make conclusions less robust.
India's 4 Critically Endangered vulture species remain at dangerously low numbers. An estimated 12,400-36,000 Egyptian Vultures survive globally.
Sources: IUCN Red List (BirdLife International, 2021); Galligan et al. (2014) Bird Conservation International; Kumar et al. (2026) EcoHealth; Oaks et al. (2004); Prakash et al. (2003).
Four are Critically Endangered. One is Endangered. None are safe.
Petra Karstedt / CC BY-SA 1.0Gyps bengalensis
Bore the brunt of the diclofenac crisis — crashed 99.9% from being the most abundant large raptor on Earth
Threats: Diclofenac poisoning, food source decline, habitat degradation
Yathin sk / CC BY-SA 3.0Gyps indicus
Also called Long-billed Vulture — one of three Gyps species decimated by diclofenac; declined 97.4% from 1992–2003
Threats: Diclofenac poisoning, habitat loss, declining food sources
gailhampshire / CC BY 2.0Gyps tenuirostris
Rarest of the three diclofenac-hit Gyps species — estimated just 150–200 breeding pairs remain globally
Threats: Diclofenac poisoning, habitat loss, food scarcity
Vishal Sabharwal / CC BY-SA 3.0Sarcogyps calvus
Compounded crisis: diclofenac plus persecution for traditional medicine; solitary habits make nest protection harder
Threats: Diclofenac poisoning, active persecution for traditional medicine, habitat loss
J.M.Garg / CC BY-SA 3.0Neophron percnopterus
Unique 'dual jeopardy' — threatened on South Asian wintering grounds AND European/Middle Eastern breeding grounds
Threats: Electrocution, diclofenac, pesticide exposure
Alastair Rae / CC BY-SA 2.0Aegypius monachus
Winter visitor only — its global decline reduces how many birds even arrive in India each season
Threats: Global population decline, habitat loss in breeding range, NSAID exposure on wintering grounds
Richard Bartz / CC BY-SA 2.5Gypaetus barbatus
Also called Lammergeier — feeds primarily on bones; restricted to Himalayan ranges in India
Threats: Habitat destruction, poisoning, food source decline
gailhampshire / CC BY 2.0Gyps himalayensis
Relative success story (Least Concern) — but power line electrocution and winter NSAID exposure from the plains are eroding even its numbers
Threats: Power line electrocution, NSAID exposure from plains, habitat disturbance
H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0Gyps fulvus
Declining in Central Asia; its global range contraction reduces winter visitor numbers in India
Threats: Habitat loss, poisoning, collision with power infrastructure
Conservation status per IUCN Red List. CR = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened, LC = Least Concern.
Source: Kumar et al. (2026) EcoHealth; IUCN (2021).
Not all vultures face the same threats — understanding these distinctions shapes how we treat and advocate for each one.
These three Gyps species bore the brunt of the diclofenac crisis and are all Critically Endangered. A single contaminated carcass can wipe out an entire flock — they feed communally, so the toxin spreads through dozens of birds at once. Their recovery depends entirely on the permanent ban of veterinary diclofenac and its replacement with meloxicam.
Diclofenac hit it hard, but this species also faces active persecution — hunted for use in traditional medicine and witchcraft practices. Unlike the communal Gyps species, Red-headed Vultures are largely solitary, making it harder for rangers and rescuers to locate and protect nesting pairs.
Unlike India's other vultures, the Egyptian Vulture migrates — spending winters on the Indian subcontinent and breeding in Europe and the Middle East. This means it faces threats on two separate fronts simultaneously: persecution and poisoning in Africa and the Middle East during migration, and NSAID exposure and electrocution in South Asia during winter.
Currently the only Least Concern vulture in South Asia — its high-altitude breeding range kept it somewhat insulated from the plains-based diclofenac crisis. But power line electrocution and winter NSAID exposure as it descends to lower elevations are eroding even its numbers. 'Least Concern' today does not mean safe tomorrow.
India receives Cinereous Vultures only as winter visitors — it does not breed here. Its global population decline in Europe and Central Asia directly reduces how many birds arrive in India each season. This species is a living barometer of conservation success thousands of kilometres away.
Every vulture case is treated as a critical conservation priority.
| Year | Egyptian Vultures | Total Birds |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6 | 2,489 |
| 2021 | 5 | 2,767 |
| 2022 | 4 | 3,385 |
| 2023 | 5 | 3,383 |
| 2024 | 7 | 3,685 |
| 2025* | 4 | 1,727 |
| Total | 31 | 17,436 |
* 2025 data is year-to-date. Source: WR intake records (5 Year.xlsx).
With only an estimated 12,400-36,000 Egyptian Vultures remaining globally, each individual is significant for species survival. Wildlife Rescue treats every vulture case as the highest priority — they receive immediate triage, specialized housing, and extended rehabilitation.
Sultan, an Egyptian Vulture (Case #34,207), arrived at Wildlife Rescue with a fractured wing from a vehicle collision. As an Endangered species, his case was immediately escalated to critical priority.
Read more rescue storiesNature's most efficient cleanup crew — and why their loss affects us all.
A group of vultures can strip a cattle carcass in 30-40 minutes, preventing disease spread. Their highly acidic stomachs (pH ~1) safely destroy anthrax, botulism, and cholera bacteria.
When vultures disappeared, feral dog populations exploded — feeding on carcasses vultures once consumed. India saw a surge in rabies cases, with an estimated $34 billion annual economic burden.
Vultures hold deep cultural importance in South Asian traditions, including Zoroastrian sky burials (Towers of Silence) and Hindu beliefs. Their disappearance disrupted centuries-old practices.
As apex scavengers, vultures indicate ecosystem health. Their decline signals broader environmental degradation — from toxic chemicals in the food chain to habitat destruction.
Sources: Markandya et al. (2008); Ogada et al. (2012); Purohit & Saran (2013); Houston (2001).
Your donation directly funds the rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation of endangered vultures at Wildlife Rescue in Delhi. Every rupee counts toward saving these irreplaceable birds.
