Cattle drug found to be killing vultures

A POPULAR painkiller used to treat cattle is killing vultures‚ many of them critically endangered species.

Researchers from the University of Pretoria and the UK, together with conservation partners including Vulpro, conducted safety trials on the anti-inflammatory drug carprofen‚ which is effective in controlling pain in cattle and horses.

Kerri Wolter‚ of vulture conservation organisation Vulpro‚ said the researchers were running safety trials when they discovered the harmful effects of the drugs.

Many farmers are using a wide variety of drugs to treat animals and the carcasses of those that die are often left out for vultures.

“The chance that vultures are exposed to these toxic drugs is higher than ever‚” Wolter said.

The drug diclofenac brought three species of vultures to the brink of extinction in Asia‚ and has been banned in India since 2006.

While carprofen has been found to be safer than diclofenac, it comes from the same family.

Birds that have ingested carprofen show no symptoms.

“Within three days, the birds simply drop dead‚” Wolter said.

Vultures typically eat in large groups.

“This means you could find up to 50 birds at a time exposed to the poison.

There is a very real chance of them going extinct in our lifetime.”