Q. With reference to the White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), consider the following statements:
1.The White-rumped Vulture is native to the Indian subcontinent and is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
2.The widespread veterinary use of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac has been identified as a major factor responsible for the drastic decline in its population.
3.The species is listed under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and is included in Appendix I of CITES.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: 1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is correct: The White-rumped Vulture is native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. It is classified as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List due to its rapid population decline.
Statement 2 is correct: The principal cause of the species’ decline has been the veterinary use of diclofenac. Vultures feeding on carcasses of livestock treated with diclofenac suffer kidney failure, leading to mass mortality.
Statement 3 is correct: The species receives the highest level of legal protection under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and is listed in Appendix I of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which prohibits international commercial trade in wild-caught specimens.
Source: TH
