Experimental safety testing confirms that the NSAID nimesulide is toxic to Gyps vultures in India

Mathesh, Karikalan; Manickam, Kesavan; Mallord, John W.; Mahendran, K.; Kumar M., Asok; Saikia, Debasish; Mohan S., Chandra; V., Beena; Lakshmi P., Sree; Prakash, Nikita; Shringarpure, Rohan; Pawde, Abhijit M.; Green, Rhys E.; Naidoo, Vinny; Prakash, Vibhu

doi:10.1016/j.etap.2023.104284

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 31 publications

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“…The Nilgiris is the southern limit of the species. The spectrum of NSAIDs available in the veterinary market within the confines of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), includes aceclofenac, ketoprofen, nimesulide, and flunixin, all known to be toxic to vultures (Mathesh et al 2023) and this is a serious concern within the proposed vulture safe zone (VSZ) of southern India (Manigandan 2018). These observations prompted us to further monitor and understand the LBV population within the NBR.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring observations of the southernmost breeding population of Long-billed Vultures Gyps indicus (Scopoli, 1786) (Aves: Acciptriformes: Accipitridae) in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India

S. Manigandan,

H. Byju,

P. Kannan

2024

J. Threat. Taxa

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The Long-billed Vulture (LBV) population was systematically monitored across four nesting colonies in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) throughout three extended breeding seasons. Breeding success rates between years ranged from 83.33% in 2018–2019 and 62.5% in 2020–2021. Nesting was monitored at the cliff sites, consistent with prior research. Overall population fluctuations were minimal, varying between 21 individuals in 2020–2021, 17 individuals in 2018–2019, and 16 individuals in 2019–2020. There was an apparent impact of forest fires and other human disturbance activities, and certain proactive conservation measures are proposed to help address these. There was indirect evidence of other threats including poison baits targeting wild carnivores and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) being widely available for use in domestic livestock. The study endorses the approach of establishing vulture-safe zones, which focus on addressing the local threats. This includes raising awareness about wildfire management, controlling toxic NSAIDs availability that are harmful to vultures, discouraging the illegal use of poison-baits, and highlighting the necessity of monitoring threats posed by power infrastructure. Due to the high mobility of LBVs, all these threats need addressing through large-scale vulture safe zone work (up to 100 km radius) surrounding the breeding colonies to secure the LBV’s long-term survival. These conservation actions are urgently needed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring observations of the southernmost breeding population of Long-billed Vultures Gyps indicus (Scopoli, 1786) (Aves: Acciptriformes: Accipitridae) in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India

S. Manigandan,

H. Byju,

P. Kannan

2024

J. Threat. Taxa

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Current policies in Europe and South Asia do not prevent veterinary use of drugs toxic to vultures

Cook,

Green,

Lieberherr

et al. 2024

Ecol Sol and Evidence

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Population declines of vultures of the genus Gyps in the Indian Subcontinent in the 1990s and 2000s were among the most rapid global population declines recorded for any bird species. Multiple lines of evidence identified veterinary treatment of cattle with the non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac as the principal cause of the vulture population crash. Diclofenac causes kidney failure and death within a few days of a vulture scavenging the carcass of a recently treated cow. Despite coordinated regulatory action by governments to ban veterinary diclofenac in South Asia, enforcement has been incomplete in many areas. Progress in preventing the veterinary use of other NSAIDs now also known to be vulture‐toxic has been slow. A mosaic of inconsistent licensing processes currently exists across South Asian vulture range states, leading to issues with successful policy implementation, legitimacy and effectiveness. At present, mandatory safety testing to ensure NSAIDs already in use or proposed for use are vulture‐safe is not part of drug licensing procedures in any vulture range state. In 2021, Bangladesh became the first country to ban a vulture‐toxic NSAID, in addition to diclofenac, by banning veterinary use of ketoprofen. In 2023, India became the second country to take this step when the government announced a ban on veterinary aceclofenac and ketoprofen. This government action in India may have been triggered by a recent legal challenge. Despite its veterinary use now being banned in South Asian and the Middle Eastern countries, diclofenac has been authorised for sale since 2013 as a veterinary drug in Spain, even though Spain holds 90% of the vulture population of Europe. The European Commission's decision to leave the authorisation of this drug to Member States is at odds with a central pillar of environmental law in the European Union (EU): the precautionary principle. Furthermore, this approach is not consistent with the stringent standards and burden of proof applied to the licensing of EU plant protection products. Solution. A solution to this lack of protection of Gyps vulture populations is for regulatory regimes for veterinary NSAIDs to be augmented.

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Effective removal of two aqueous NASIDs by magnetic three-dimensional hollow Co-Ni LDH composite

Yan,

Zhao,

Liu

et al. 2024

Separation and Purification Technology

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Experimental safety testing confirms that the NSAID nimesulide is toxic to Gyps vultures in India

Cited by 3 publications

References 31 publications

Monitoring observations of the southernmost breeding population of Long-billed Vultures Gyps indicus (Scopoli, 1786) (Aves: Acciptriformes: Accipitridae) in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India

Monitoring observations of the southernmost breeding population of Long-billed Vultures Gyps indicus (Scopoli, 1786) (Aves: Acciptriformes: Accipitridae) in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India

Current policies in Europe and South Asia do not prevent veterinary use of drugs toxic to vultures

Effective removal of two aqueous NASIDs by magnetic three-dimensional hollow Co-Ni LDH composite

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