THE AVAILABILITY OF THE VULTURE TOXIC NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS IN THE PROPOSED VULTURE SAFE ZONE OF MOYAR VALLEY IN TAMIL NADU STATE OF INDIA--Abstract The three Gyps Vultures endemic to South Asia declined due to use of the veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (NSAID). The drug diclofenac was banned in India for veterinary purposes from 2006. The drugs namely aceclofenac, carprofen, flunixin, ketoprofen and nimesulide are identified as toxic drugs for vultures. A total of 73 pharmacy shops in the year 2019 and 77 pharmacy shops in the year 2020 were surveyed in the vulture area covering three districts Coimbatore, Erode and The Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu. The aceclofenac, diclofenac, flunixin, meloxicam, nimesulide, phenylbutazone tolfenamic acid and ketoprofen were available on sale in the pharmacies in the proposed vulture safe zone of Tamil Nadu. The drug meloxicam was the most commonly encountered drug, sold in 69.6% (2019) and 71.8% (2020) in the pharmacy shops for veterinary usage. The availability of vulture toxic drugs is fast becoming popular in the vulture zones, particularly nimesulide 10.1% (2019) and 7.1% (2020) and the availability of recently announced another safest drug for vultures tolfenamic acid also available in the few pharmacy shops in the provisional vulture zone of Coimbatore, Erode and The Nilgiri district. Although the large number of manufacturers and availability of meloxicam is encouraging, the availability of wide range of untested NSAIDs in the proposed vulture zone of Tamil Nadu is a major source of concern. We recommend that banning of the identified vulture toxic NSAIDs drugs for veterinary usage in order to provide safety zone for vultures in Tamil Nadu. |