What specific physiological damage results in the rapid death of Red-headed Vultures after ingesting diclofenac-treated carcasses?
Answer
renal failure
The toxic effect of the veterinary drug diclofenac on *Sarcogyps calvus* is highly specific and devastatingly effective at causing massive mortality. When the vulture ingests the drug residues present in the tissues of treated livestock carcasses, the chemical agent attacks the bird's kidneys. This leads directly to acute renal failure, a condition where the kidneys cease functioning properly, resulting in the rapid death of the afflicted vulture. This mechanism makes the poisoning a direct, acute chemical assault linked to agricultural practices.
Related Questions
What IUCN Red List status is assigned to Sarcogyps calvus, indicating an extremely high risk of extinction?What veterinary drug is identified as the primary reason for the devastating population collapse of the Red-headed Vulture?What specific physiological damage results in the rapid death of Red-headed Vultures after ingesting diclofenac-treated carcasses?What distinctive color characterizes the bare skin on the head and neck of a mature Red-headed Vulture?What crucial visual marker is visible on the wings of a soaring Red-headed Vulture that helps distinguish it?What secondary environmental pressure, alongside chemical poisoning, is further stressing the remaining Red-headed Vulture populations?Why is establishing consistent population monitoring for *Sarcogyps calvus* in remote regions described as a logistical nightmare?What aspect of vulture conservation demands cooperation between farmers, veterinarians, and governments across multiple nations?What vital ecological function is lost when obligate scavengers like *Sarcogyps calvus* disappear from an ecosystem?How do juvenile Red-headed Vultures differ in appearance from mature individuals, sometimes complicating field counts?