Diclofenac residues as the cause of vulture population decline in Pakistan
J. Lindsay Oaksa b✉, Martin Gilbertc d, Munir Z. Viranic d, Richard T. Watsonc d, Carol U. Meteyere f, Bruce A. Rideoutg h, H. L. Shivaprasadi j, Shakeel Ahmedk, Muhammad Jamshed Iqbal Chaudhryk, Muhammad Subhan Arshadk, Shahid Mahmoodk, Ahmad Hafiz Alik, Aleem Ahmed Khank
- aDepartment of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7040, USA. loaks@vetmed.wsu.edu
- bDepartment of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, USA
- cThe Peregrine Fund, 5668 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, Idaho, 83709, USA
- dThe Peregrine Fund, Boise, USA
- eUSGS–National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, Wisconsin, 53711-6223, USA
- fUSGS, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, USA
- gCenter for Reproduction of Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego, PO Box 120551, San Diego, California, 92112, USA
- hCenter for Reproduction of Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego , USA
- iCalifornia Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System–Fresno Branch, University of California at Davis, 2789 S. Orange Avenue, Fresno, California, 93725, USA
- j
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Abstract
The Oriental white-backed vulture (OWBV; Gyps bengalensis) was once one of the most common raptors in the Indian subcontinent. A population decline of >95%, starting in the 1990s, was first noted at Keoladeo National Park, India. Since then, catastrophic declines, also involving Gyps indicus and Gyps tenuirostris, have continued to be reported across the subcontinent. Consequently these vultures are now listed as critically endangered by BirdLife International. In 2000, the Peregrine Fund initiated its Asian Vulture Crisis Project with the Ornithological Society of Pakistan, establishing study sites at 16 OWBV colonies in the Kasur, Khanewal and Muzaffargarh-Layyah Districts of Pakistan to measure mortality at over 2,400 active nest sites. Between 2000 and 2003, high annual adult and subadult mortality (5-86%) and resulting population declines (34-95%) (ref. 5 and M.G., manuscript in preparation) were associated with renal failure and visceral gout. Here, we provide results that directly correlate residues of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac with renal failure. Diclofenac residues and renal disease were reproduced experimentally in OWBVs by direct oral exposure and through feeding vultures diclofenac-treated livestock. We propose that residues of veterinary diclofenac are responsible for the OWBV decline.
TL;DRResults are provided that directly correlate residues of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac with renal failure and renal failure in the Oriental white-backed vulture (OWBV) and it is proposed that residues of veterinary diclotenac are responsible for the OWBV decline. (Semantic Scholar)