Annual prevalence of haematozoa in White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus nestlings at Kimberley, South Africa

摘要

At the beginning of the twenty-first century concern was being expressed at the rapid decline in Asian vulture populations and the consequential affect this was having on social dependence on these birds in many Asian cultures. At first it was thought this decline was due to some unknown disease entity (Cunningham et al. 2003), but subsequent investigations pointed to the use of the veterinary drug diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used in the treatment of domestic livestock, especially cattle (Oaks et al. 2004). Vultures subsequently feeding on the carcasses of treated cattle were dying due to the toxic effects of the drug residues in the tissue (Oaks et al. 2004).