Wildlife: Killer drug

A slender-billed vulture.-AMANO SAMARPAN

First there was the catastrophic decline of the Gyps species of vultureswhite-backed, long-billed and slender-billedin South Asia. Their population was decimated by 99 per cent. Hopes were raised once it was discovered that the fatalities were caused by the veterinary painkiller diclofenac, which lingered in the organs of cattle carcasses and on ingestion by the vultures caused organ failure in the birds, and the drug was banned. A new research paper, however, has put a damper on this.

The study titled Aceclofenac as a Potential Threat to Critically Endangered Vultures in India: a Review by Pradeep Sharma of Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Science, Bikaner, published in the Journal of Raptor Research, says that aceclofenac, another painkiller used by vets, is a derivative of diclofenac. It has a close structural and pharmacological resemblance to diclofenac and ultimately metabolises into diclofenac. So close are the two drugs in their chemical composition that Sharma has even warned against testing aceclofenac on vultures. He has, however, advocated in vivo conversions in cattle to prove the threat of aceclofenac.

A Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) press release quoted Sharma as saying, A study demonstrating in vivo conversion of aceclofenac into diclofenac in cattle will be important. Once proven, this will establish the exposure of vultures to diclofenac. The aceclofenac issue also points to the need for a comprehensive environmental evaluation of veterinary drugs before granting licences.

The survival and continuing good health of a nestling each of the white-backed and slender-billed species born in captivity and the plan to create two vulture-safe zones in Gujarat were two recent high points for the conservation world. They have been overshadowed by the new threat of aceclofenac.

Said Asad Rahmani, Director of the BNHS: In order to create a safe natural environment for vultures in South Asia, banning the unsafe drugs and safety testing of other potentially toxic drugs should be a priority.

Lyla Bavadam