Dying with the dead

 

 

Strangely, vultures, scavengers that feed on the carcasses of dead beasts, seem to be going through a deadly phase all over the world. While in India and Pakistan, they have been dying due to the accidental poisoning caused by the drugs given to livestock; in Myanmar, population of its rarest species – white-rumped vulture and slender-billed vulture have been decimated due to cyclone Nargis. This gap in the food chain doesn’t bode well, for example, if the fox count goes up in response, it could lead to the spread of rabies. That would be deadly for everyone!