Home Institution
St. Lawrence University
Publication Date
Spring 2022
Abstract
In the 1990s, a veterinary drug used to treat pain and disease in cattle nearly brought the nine vulture species of Nepal to extinction. In a span of 15 years, over 97% of vultures in Nepal perished. For the past 20 years, governments, organizations, and communities have been working together to save these vital scavengers from vanishing. From the lowlands to the Himalayas, vultures have been interacting with the environment and humans for millennia. This study explores the role that vultures play both ecologically and culturally in Nepal. It investigates vultures as a crucial ecological influence and how human action has damaged their relationship to their environment. By demonstrating the role of organizations, communities and individuals in vulture conservation, this paper strives to show what actions need to be taken to save this species from extinction.
Disciplines
Asian Studies | Environmental Monitoring | Environmental Studies | Human Ecology | Ornithology | Place and Environment | South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies
Recommended Citation
Nedde, Hans, "Sacred Scavengers: Vulture Conservation in Nepal" (2022). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3507.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3507
Included in
Asian Studies Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Human Ecology Commons, Ornithology Commons, Place and Environment Commons, South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies Commons
Program Name
Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples