The Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) is an Old
World vulture and is closely related to the Griffon
Vulture, G. fulvus. It breeds mainly on hilly crags in central and
peninsular India.
The birds in the northern part of its range once considered a subspecies
are now considered a separate species, the Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris.
These were lumped together under the name Long-billed Vulture.
The species breeds mainly on cliffs, but is known to use trees to nest in
Rajasthan. Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of
dead animals
which it finds by soaring over savannah and around human habitation. They often
move in flocks.
The Long-billed Vulture
is a typical vulture, with a bald head, very broad wings and short tail
feathers. It is smaller and less heavily-built than the Eurasian Griffon,
usually weighing between 5.5 and 6.3 kg (12–13.9 lbs) and measuring
80–103 cm (31–41 in) long and 1.96 to 2.38 m (6.4 to 7.8 ft) across the wings.
It is distinguished from that species by its less buff body and wing
coverts. It also lacks the whitish median covert bar shown by Griffon
Population
declines
Long-billed Vulture in flight
The Indian Vulture and the Indian
White-rumped Vulture, G. bengalensis species have suffered a
99%–97% population decrease in Pakistan and India.
The cause of this has been identified as poisoning caused by the veterinary
drug diclofenac. Diclofenac is a non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and when given to working animals it
can reduce joint pain and so keep them working for longer. The drug is believed
to be swallowed by vultures with the flesh of dead cattle which were given
diclofenac in the last days of life. Diclofenac causes kidney failure in several
species of Vultures. In March 2005 the Indian Government announced its support
for a ban on the veterinary use of diclofenac. Another NSAID, meloxicam, has been found to be harmless to
vultures and should prove to be an acceptable substitute for diclofenac. When
meloxicam production is increased it is hoped that it will be as cheap as
diclofenac. As of August 2011 the ban for veterinary use has been in place for
approximately a year but diclofenac was still being used for animals throughout
India
Captive-breeding
programmes
Captive-breeding programmes for
several species of Indian vulture have been started. The vultures are long
lived and slow in breeding, so the programmes are expected to take decades.
Vultures reach breeding age at about 5 years old. It is hoped that captive-bred
birds will be released to the wild when the environment is clear of diclofenac.
