The Economist – 1843 Magazine

How Do You Replace 40 Million Dead Vultures?

India has lost an estimated 40 million vultures over the past two decades, crippling a critical public‑health service. The Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, the world’s largest vulture‑breeding facility, is attempting to restore populations by raising thousands of birds each year. However, bureaucratic red tape, land‑use disputes and conflicting political interests are slowing the centre’s expansion. Without swift action, India risks losing the ecological and disease‑control benefits vultures provide.