Vulture Population Decline In India Linked To Premature Human Deaths: Study
NDTV
The research places the annual monetary damage from this public health crisis at nearly $70 billion.
The decline in vulture populations in India over the past few decades has had disastrous effects. According to a recent study, half a million humans may have died prematurely from 2000 to 2005 as a result of this ecological calamity. The public health crisis caused by the absence of these vital scavengers highlights the delicate balance that must exist between biodiversity and human health.
The study published in the American Economic Review puts the monetary damage from the related public health crisis at nearly $70 billion a year. These results suggest high returns for conserving keystone species such as vultures.
According to a release, vultures are a keystone species in India, essential to the functioning of many of the country's ecosystems. The birds of prey don't just clean up disease-ridden carcasses; by removing food, they reduce the populations of other scavengers, such as feral dogs that can transmit rabies. What's more, without vultures, farmers dispose of their dead livestock in waterways, further spreading disease.
