Changes

==Threats==

==Threats==

Once thought to be one of the most abundant large birds of prey in the world, the Indian white-rumped vulture has gone through a severe decline in numbers since the 1990s, with some researchers stating above 99.9%<ref>https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/indian-vultures-are-dying-for-some-good-news/</ref>. Originally blaming a decline in wild ungulate species as well as improvements in the care of domestic livestock, the current assessment is the ingestion of carrion meat containing diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) meant as an anti-biotic for livestock; the drug causes kidney and renal failure in vultures and is fatal to the birds.  Diclofenac is routinely used throughout southern Asia, and in largely-Hindu India its use proved to be particularly problematic where Hindus are forbidden to consume beef. In these regions dead cattle are usually left at the place where they have died, where they are eaten by the vultures.

Once thought to be one of the most abundant large birds of prey in the world, the Indian white-rumped vulture has gone through a severe decline in numbers since the 1990s, with some researchers stating above 99.9%.<ref>https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/indian-vultures-are-dying-for-some-good-news/</ref>  Originally blaming a decline in wild ungulate species as well as improvements in the care of domestic livestock, the current assessment is the ingestion of carrion meat containing diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) meant as an anti-biotic for livestock; the drug causes kidney and renal failure in vultures and is fatal to the birds.  Diclofenac is routinely used throughout southern Asia, and in largely-Hindu India its use proved to be particularly problematic where Hindus are forbidden to consume beef. In these regions dead cattle are usually left at the place where they have died, where they are eaten by the vultures.

Diclofenac was banned very quickly in both Nepal and India after recognizing its harmful effect on vultures. This contributed significantly to the fact that with the decline of vultures the population of rats and the number of carrion-consuming feral dogs greatly increased; with both came an increase in the number of rabies cases in humans.  Despite the ban, diclofenac is still used in parts of southern Asia.

Diclofenac was banned very quickly in both Nepal and India after recognizing its harmful effect on vultures. This contributed significantly to the fact that with the decline of vultures the population of rats and the number of carrion-consuming feral dogs greatly increased; with both came an increase in the number of rabies cases in humans.  Despite the ban, diclofenac is still used in parts of southern Asia.