Correct option is D
Introduction
· Avian population monitoring in India is primarily overseen by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and organizations like BNHS to track biodiversity health.
· Significant declines in specific bird species often serve as critical bioindicators of environmental contamination or ecological imbalance.
· Sudden population crashes in scavengers can lead to secondary public health crises due to the accumulation of carcasses in the environment.
Information Booster
· The White backed Vulture ( Gyps bengalensis) is the correct answer, as its population faced a catastrophic decline of approximately 99.7% since the 1990s.
· This decline was primarily attributed to the veterinary use of Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat cattle.
· When vultures consumed the carcasses of animals treated with Diclofenac, it caused rapid renal failure and visceral gout, leading to death within a few days.
· Following the reports from ZSI and other conservationists, the Government of India banned the veterinary use of Diclofenac in 2006 to save the remaining population.
· The species is currently listed as "Critically Endangered" on the IUCN Red List and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Additional Knowledge
· Sparrow populations have seen noticeable declines in urban areas due to loss of nesting sites and electromagnetic radiation, but they have not faced a sudden 99% crash nationwide.
· Pink-headed Duck is a species that is already feared to be extinct or extremely rare, with no confirmed sightings in the wild for decades, rather than a recent 99% decline.
· Pond heron remains a very common and widespread bird across Indian wetlands and agricultural fields, with its population staying relatively stable compared to scavengers.
· The loss of vultures led to an explosion in the population of feral dogs and rats, which increased the risk of zoonotic diseases like rabies in human settlements.
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