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