Prelims 2012 · Environment · Question 100
Vultures which used to be very common in Indian countryside some years ago are rarely seen nowadays. This is attributed to
Answer
A drug used by cattle owners for treating their diseased cattle.
- (a) Incorrect. The major crash in Indian vulture populations was not primarily due to invasive species destroying nesting sites.
- (b) Correct. The main cause was diclofenac, a veterinary drug given to cattle; vultures feeding on carcasses of treated animals suffered kidney failure and died.
- (c) Incorrect. Food scarcity was not the principal reason; vultures declined despite availability of livestock carcasses.
- (d) Incorrect. No widespread persistent fatal disease was identified as the main cause of the nationwide decline.
Answer: (b)