Why India's Most Important Animal is 99% EXTINCT

 

Just imagine how one allopathic painkiller can eliminate a species that was so important in nature's cycle of life. Diclofenac was the drug that single-handedly and nearly brought a great bird to its near extinction. That bird is the scavenger of the dead, the Great Indian Vulture species. Diclofenac created havoc for these mighty vultures; it was no less than poison to them.

Vultures are nature's scavengers that cleared all the dead carcasses, which eliminated several pathogens with their digestive capabilities, such as rabies, anthrax, etc. When these large magnificent birds slowly dwindled due to the poisoning from the carcasses that had been consumed by the seemingly innocent painkilling drug 'Diclofenac.'

Ever since these magnificent creatures quickly disappeared, the carcasses have now become food for the canines. However, the canines didn't have the same digestive ability to kill the pathogens, so they became sick & eventually a carrier of it to humans & other animals too. It is the same reason why Rabies & Anthrax are now deadly diseases now posing a threat to us humans.

How it was found out about these wild creatures going into extinction was by the Parsi community, who have the tradition of letting their dead be consumed by nature on top of specifically built-up towers, called 'Towers of Silence,' mostly by these vultures.

The Parsis began to start to take notice that the bodies that used to be consumed in hours or a day were now becoming ineffective, as these giant flesh- and bone-eating birds were not turning up as they used to. After years of research, it was finally narrowed down to the drug that had turned deadly to them.

This is also a silent reminder to us humans as to why it is so important to not be destructive to nature but rather conserve it & follow the natural way of living as much as possible to not become a destructive species for the other abundant species that occupy this wonderful planet, which is definitely not wholly owned by humans.