# @rspb on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CEwC8u8AlpY
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/34271216-rspb-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/1a5cb6fbbd.jpg
- **Posted:** 2020-09-05T10:00:24.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** RSPB (@rspb) — https://gondola.cc/rspb

## Caption

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day, or #IVAD. We often talk about our local UK wildlife, but did you know that your support also allows us to work internationally - including fighting to save one of the most iconic bird species in South Asia?

Asian vultures are teetering on the edge of extinction. Incredibly, 99.9 per cent of white-backed vultures and 97 per cent of long and slender-billed vultures have been wiped out - a staggering 40 million birds.

The cause, we discovered in 2003, was widespread veterinary use of anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in cattle, which subsequently entered the vultures' food chain. As well as hitting Asia's ecosystem hard, it also had a devastating effect on local people - triggering health problems and crippling economies. 

However, since 2006, diclofenac has been banned for veterinary use and a safe substitute found. Now, we have launched a vital breeding programme to re-establish colonies of the three Critically Endangered species!

For a more in-depth look at our work with vultures, and to see how you can help, take a look at the link in our bio!

#vultures #conservation #protectwildlife #wildlifeconservation #internationalvultureawarenessday #natureconservation #conservationeducation #environmentalconservation #rspb

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 3,045
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## Tags

ivad, conservationeducation, conservation, environmentalconservation, vultures, internationalvultureawarenessday, protectwildlife, wildlifeconservation, rspb, natureconservation

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