Vultures and Pandemic Preparedness

Declining vulture populations in India threaten biodiversity and public health, highlighting the need to integrate vulture conservation with pandemic preparedness.

Role of Vultures in Biodiversity and Public Health

Ecological and Public Health Significance of Vultures

• Efficient Scavengers:
  • Vultures are nature’s most efficient waste managers, consuming carcasses that could otherwise harbor pathogens.
  • Key pathogens prevented from spreading include anthrax, Clostridium botulinum, and rabies.
• Population Decline:
  • India’s vulture population dropped by over 95% since the 1990s, primarily due to diclofenac use in livestock.
  • From 40 million in the 1980s, numbers have sharply declined, creating a slow-burning public health risk linked to potential zoonotic disease spillover.

Central Asian Flyway (CAF) and Regional Importance

• Migratory Corridor:
  • CAF connects breeding grounds in Central Asia to wintering areas across South Asia, spanning over 30 countries.
  • Vultures and other raptors link ecosystems and disease risks across borders, making carcass management a regional health priority.
• Public Health Linkage:
  • Poorly managed carcass dumps or landfills can become spillover hotspots for zoonotic diseases.
  • Conservation aligns with global One Health principles and strengthens pandemic prevention frameworks.

Current Challenges in Vulture Conservation

• Structural and Financial Gaps: Vulture conservation programs remain underfunded and fragmented, limiting integration with national pandemic preparedness strategies.
• Infrastructure Risks: Threats include electrocution from power lines and poisoning from veterinary drugs.
• Community Engagement: Local communities, especially women and youth, remain underutilized in surveillance and conservation efforts.

National Action Plan for Vulture Conservation (2016–25)

• Role in Pandemic Preparedness:
  • Vultures remove carcasses that could fuel zoonotic spillover, acting as frontline ecological surveillance agents.
  • Contribution has not been formalized in public health policy or financial planning.
• Opportunity for Integration Post-2025:
  • Conservation strategies can embed health security dimensions to move from species recovery to systemic resilience.

Proposed Post-2025 National Strategy (Five Pillars)

• Nationwide Satellite Telemetry: Map habitats, carcass dumps, and spillover hotspots.
• Decision Support System (DSS): Integrate wildlife, livestock, and human health data for real-time risk analysis, aligned with International Health Regulations.
• One Health Coordination: Strengthen cross-sector collaboration among environment, veterinary, and public health agencies.
• Transboundary Collaboration: Work through CAF and the Convention on Migratory Species to enhance regional disease preparedness.
• Community Stewardship: Empower local groups, women, and youth in surveillance, awareness, and conservation efforts.