Ban on more drugs harmful for vultures welcome move, but more stringent steps needed

Subject :Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

Vulture conservationists and experts have welcomed the central government’s move to ban veterinary drugs aceclofenac and ketoprofen which are fatal for vultures, but suggest more needs to be done for creating a safe environment for the bird.

Details:

Ban on three drugs —aceclofenac, nimesulide and ketoprofen– had been requested.
The decision taken on the ban by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board in May is the second big step towards vulture conservation since the banning of Diclofenac in 2006.
Nimesulide continues to possess a threat and should be banned soon
Ketoprofen and aceclofenac in cattle are equally toxic as Diclofenac and can kill vultures.
Studies showed that aceclofenac was rapidly metabolised into diclofenac and ketoprofen is toxic to Gyps vultures.

Vultures:

The vulture is a critically endangered species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Three Gyps species namely long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus), oriental white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and slender-billed