In celebration of International Vulture Awareness Day, and to find out more about this incredible species, we caught up with PhD student, Kane Colston, who is completing his research project on vultures.
Can you summarise your research project?
My project assesses the risk of vultures and other scavenging birds in South America being poisoned. After huge declines in vulture populations in Asia two decades ago, it was discovered that a veterinary drug called diclofenac (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or ‘NSAID’) was the cause. The drug was given to livestock shortly before they died and the carcasses were then consumed by wild vultures.
Whilst the situation is now steadily improving in Asia, next to nothing is known about this same potential threat in other continents like South America. As there is so little data, it’s still really unclear whether vultures and other scavenging birds are being poisoned by these drugs, or whether they have somehow managed to avoid being poisoned in this way, at least for now!
My research focuses on establishing the potential current and future risk of this same threat in South America, particularly in Argentina where our collaborator Dr Juan Manuel Grande is based.
Why did you choose to do your project on vultures?
Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for this project, as it was originally conceived between Irene Bueno, Lecturer in Wildlife Health and Conservation and Juan Manuel Grande.
I had, however, just completed the MSc in Global Wildlife Health and Conservation here at Bristol Veterinary School the year before and as luck would have it, this project became available just at the right time. I have to admit I am more of a reptile guy at heart but as vultures are still technically reptiles, I’m ok with that! And besides, the more I get to know about these fascinating creatures, the more fond of them I become.
Have you made any early discoveries?
It’s still very early days. One of the first things I was lucky enough to do was to travel to Argentina in March and speak directly to some veterinarians in the country about what NSAID drugs are typically used in the livestock industry and for what purposes.
As I say, early days, but it would seem that the drugs being used, particularly in cattle and pigs, are some of the same NSAIDs we are concerned about, and that livestock carcasses are available for wild animals like vultures to consume, as was the case in Asia.
What is the significance of this project for the industry?
The value of vultures, and vulture conservation, really can’t be understated. As nature’s clean-up crew, they have a really important role in preventing the spread of diseases from rotting animal carcasses and preventing species such as feral dogs and rats from getting out of control.
The consequences of losing vultures have been seen directly in India after the large-scale poisonings 20-25 years ago, where the feral dog population boomed and caused approximately 48,000 rabies deaths and up to a 4% increase in human mortality rate in some areas. Recent estimates place the economic cost of vulture declines in India at $69.4 billion per year!
Vultures also recycle nutrients into the soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock agriculture. So, protecting vultures is no trivial pursuit and has huge, measurable real-world benefits.