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Aspect
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Key Research Insights
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Disruption of Feeding Routines
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- Vultures spend roughly half as long feeding on carcasses at open, un-fenced dumping sites compared to dog-free protected enclosures.
- Packs of aggressive stray dogs’ mob and chase down landing vultures, forcing birds to abandon meals or restrict feeding to short, high-stress windows.
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Historical Irony & Vulture-Dog Vacuum
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- The crash of Indian Gyps vulture populations in the 1990s (caused by veterinary Diclofenac poisoning) left an ecological void in carcass disposal.
- Unclaimed livestock remains led to a surge in feral dog populations, which now actively block the recovery of surviving and migratory vulture species.
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Affected Species
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- Threatens resident critically endangered species (White-rumped Vulture, Indian Vulture, Long-billed Vulture) as well as endangered/migratory raptors (Egyptian Vulture, Steppe Eagle) that rely on desert carcass dumps like Jorbeer (Bikaner) during winter.
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Secondary Threat Vectors
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- Direct Physical Attacks- Dogs frequently attack grounded or heavy-laden birds attempting to take off.
- Pathogen Transmission - Feral packs act as reservoirs for Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), Canine Parvovirus (CPV), and Rabies, posing biosecurity risks to desert wildlife (e.g., Desert Fox, Chinkara, Great Indian Bustard).
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