Three species of south Asia's vultures are critically threatened with extinction in the near future. We have to act now to save these birds. The Oriental white-backed vulture was so abundant in India in the 1980s that it was probably the most common large bird of prey in the world. Only one in a thousand now survives, a 99.9% decline for this species. All three species - the Oriental white-backed, the long-billed and the slender-billed vulture - have declined by more than 97% since the early 1990s. This shocking decline is because of a veterinary drug, diclofenac, which is toxic to any vulture that feeds on the carcass of recently treated cattle. Watch our video to find out more about the project and to meet the people who are using your donations to save Asia's vultures from extinction. What do we hope to achieve?We need to raise money urgently to save these magnificent birds. We are working with Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction (SAVE) - a powerful consortium of like-minded organisations and individuals. SAVE is working towards completely ridding the market of diclofenac for veterinary use. We are showing farmers that there are alternative drugs that are just as effective in treating cattle. Until diclofenac stops being used for cattle in Asia these birds need to be bred in captivity, to be released only when it is safe for them in the wild once more. We are establishing Vulture Safe Havens, carefully managed areas that are proven to be diclofenac-free, where the dwindling populations of wild vultures can start to recover. You can find out more using the links below, or you can e-mail SAVE Programme manager Chris Bowden at chris.bowden@rspb.org.uk If you would like to discuss sponsoring a Safe Haven (with a gift of £1,000 or more), please contact David Agombar, Major Donors Manager, at david.agombar@rspb.org.uk If you would like to discuss bespoke opportunities for your business to help SAVE, please contact Martin Sreeves at martin.sreeves@rspb.org.uk | Their decline has been quicker than that of the dodo - now is our chance to prevent them from suffering the same fate Why we need your help- We need funding to breed captive vultures in a safe environment with clean food
- We must work as part of SAVE to lobby governments and raise awareness in India, Pakistan and Nepal, to make sure the diclofenac bans are effective in time to prevent total extinction
- So that in 10 or 15 years' time, we can re-introduce the captive birds to a safer world
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3 ways to donate
You can donate by secure online form, by telephone or by post.
1. Secure online form
Donating online is easy and ensures that more of your money is used for conservation.
2. By telephone
Our Membership Services team can also take donations over the phone.
01767 693 680
9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday
3. By post
We can accept donations by cheque too. Please make cheques payable to The RSPB and send them to:
Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction
The RSPB
The Lodge
Sandy
Bedfordshire
SG19 2DL
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