Nepal’s vulture population rebounds after near extinction
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
In Nepal, the white-rumped vulture population is growing after facing near extinction due to diclofenac, a veterinary drug.
Millions of these vultures, native to South and Southeast Asia, died from diclofenac poisoning because the birds consumed it in livestock. Nepal successfully removed diclofenac from its veterinary market, allowing the vulture population to begin recovery. Researchers recently conducted road surveys to assess the current population.
These surveys revealed the white-rumped vulture population has increased by 12.7% annually since 2012, when the species reached its lowest numbers. David Houston, a vulture expert, once considered the white-rumped vulture abundant and resilient, but the drug proved devastating to the species across South Asia. The recovery in Nepal demonstrates the positive impact of removing harmful drugs from veterinary use, though the species remains vulnerable and requires continued monitoring.
