Vultures which used to be very common in Indian countryside some years ago are rarely seen nowadays. This is attributed to
- Athe destruction of their nesting sites by new invasive species
- Ba drug used by cattle owners for treating their diseased cattleCorrect
- Cscarcity of food available to them
- Da widespread, persistent and fatal disease among them
Explanation
The correct answer is B because the drastic decline in the vulture population in India is primarily attributed to the use of Diclofenac. This is a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug used by farmers and veterinarians to treat pain and inflammation in livestock.
When cattle treated with Diclofenac die and vultures scavenge on their carcasses, the drug enters the vultures system. Vultures are highly sensitive to even trace amounts of this chemical, which causes acute kidney failure and uric acid accumulation, leading to death. This process has resulted in a population crash of over ninety nine percent in several vulture species across the Indian subcontinent. While habitat loss and food scarcity are minor factors, the chemical poisoning from this specific drug is the definitive cause identified by scientists.
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