Awareness programme on vulture conservation held in Udhagamandalam
Arulagam, a non-governmental organisation, conducted a one-day awareness programme for pharmacists on the banned veterinary drugs that are harmful to vultures, at the Cairn Hill Forest Campus on Saturday.
Following the ban on the drugs Diclofenac, Aceclofenac and Ketoprofen, the Government of India has banned the use of 'Nimesulide' for animals from January 1, 2025, intending to protect the endangered 'Paaru' vulture.
Protecting the endangered species is a collective responsibility, and for the past 15 years, Arulagam has been actively working alongside the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Drugs Control Department, and Animal Husbandry Department to prevent the extinction of this rare species in the Nilgiris.
During the awareness programme, experts from the Forest Department and the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) emphasised the vital role vultures play in the ecosystem and the necessity of spreading awareness among pharmacists to refrain from dispensing the banned drugs, harmful to the species.
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