Context

The Tamil Nadu government has formed a State Vulture conservation committee (SLVC) to check the declining population of vultures in the state.

About

About Vultures

• Vultures are scavenging birds of prey. They are nature's most efficient scavengers.
• India shelters about nine species of vultures, but most of them face the danger of extinction.

Vulture numbers are decreasing:

• The numbers are still extremely low, and even a single poisoning eventcould lead to several of the species going locally extinct, especially the long-billed Asian king vulture.
• Breeding seasons have also seen less hatching than is the norm.
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)to treat cattle, such as diclofenac, nimesulide, and ketoprofen among others, have led to the crash in vulture populations across India.