Deadly span: On vulture safety in India, threat of electrocution

For decades, vulture safety efforts in India have primarily focused on chemical hazards. However, electrocution risks from India's expanding power infrastructure may now pose a greater threat. In the 1990s, India's vulture populations plummeted by 99.5% due to the use of diclofenac, a cattle painkiller that harms vulture kidneys.

With the ban on diclofenac in 1994 and further restrictions in 2023 on other NSAIDs, vultures' carrion consumption has increased, leading to greater exposure to rabies and human fatalities. A 2024 study found that the decline in vultures has caused a 4% rise in human mortality and cost India $69.4 billion annually. Although electrocution is not as lethal as chemical threats, the vultures' vulnerability and the growing unsafe power infrastructure demand urgent action.

A 2025 survey revealed that vultures are now nesting at only 50% of their previous locations. Vultures' large wingspans allow them to touch two wires simultaneously, and they often perch on elevated structures. They are also attracted to open areas and congregate around reliable food sources, increasing their exposure to electrocution risks.

Relocating livestock carcass dumps away from high-tension power lines near Dehradun reportedly saved large scavengers from electrocution. Researchers have noted that persistent electrocution might lead to local vulture population extinction. Simple solutions, such as separating vulture feeding sites from power infrastructure, insulating conductors, and installing safe perches, could help protect these birds and other species near human settlements.