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Young World
On the brink
The White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) is a typical vulture, with a baldhead, very broad wings and short tail. It is much smaller than European Griffon. It has a white neck ruff. The adult's whitish back, rump and underwing coverts contrast with the otherwise dark plumage. Vultures perform a vital function as scavengers in keeping cities clean because they eat animal carcasses. Once found abundantly in northeast India, these birds are rarely seen these days and considered as a threatened species. The arrival of a mystery virus a decade ago has wiped out 95 per cent of the species, and some scientists believe the gawky birds are on the brink of extinction. This species has been upgraded to "Critical" because of the rapid population decline, particularly across the Indian subcontinent. Recent scientific evidence indicates that dicofenac (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) is a major cause of the observed decline of vultures.
NIMI KURIAN
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