An unknown disease is wiping out vultures on the Indian subcontinent, raising fears that the spread of bacteria from rotting human and animal corpses could threaten human health. A recent survey showed that more than 90 per cent of the birds had been wiped out in 17 key areas in the past decade.
Entire populations are now extinct in several national parks.
The situation is believed to be so grave that in September British scientists flew to India to discuss the crisis with their Indian counterparts. One of them, Andrew Cunningham, a wildlife pathologist from London Zoo, returned last week to continue his efforts to identify the disease, thought to be a virus, which has killed tens of thousands of the birds. India's Parsees, who put out human corpses for vultures to consume as part of an ancient funeral ceremony, are particularly concerned because the decline of the birds means corpses are being left uneaten on hillsides. Previously, up to 100 vultures would swarm around a tower. Now there are only a few and there is too much for them to eat.