The Documentary Podcast Flight of the vulture
Feb 27, 2025
Sacha Dench, a UN ambassador for migratory species and adventurous paraglider pilot known for soaring alongside swans and vultures, shares captivating stories about these often-misunderstood birds. She discusses the dramatic decline of vultures in India, revealing the shocking impact of a veterinary drug. Sacha highlights international efforts to rehabilitate and conserve these vital scavengers, showcasing their ecological importance and the unique challenges they face, such as poaching and cultural misconceptions, sparking a conversation about the urgent need for their protection.
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Indian Vulture Crisis
- In India, vultures thrived due to abundant cattle carcasses left by Hindus, providing ecosystem services.
- However, by the mid-1990s, vulture populations shockingly declined by over 92% in just eight years.
Diclofenac Discovery
- Initially, researchers suspected contaminants or diseases as the cause of vulture deaths.
- The cause turned out to be diclofenac, a drug given to old cows for pain relief, which vultures ingested.
Finding a Safe Alternative
- To address the diclofenac problem, a ban was necessary, along with a safe alternative.
- Chris Bowden joined the effort to find and test replacement drugs, a crucial step in saving the vultures.