NCERT Class 8 Geography — Chapter 1: Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources

mcqeasy

The decline in the vulture population in the Indian subcontinent was linked to the use of which drug on livestock?

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

APenicillin
BDiclofenac
CAspirin
DIbuprofen

Did you get this right?

Solution

Correct Option

The correct option is (b).

Explanation

The catastrophic decline of vulture populations, particularly the Gyps species, in the Indian subcontinent was a major ecological crisis identified in the 1990s. Extensive research established that the collapse was caused by the bioaccumulation of a specific pharmaceutical drug used in livestock management.

Option Analysis

Option (b) is correct: Diclofenac is a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) widely administered to cattle to treat inflammation and pain. When vultures feed on the carcasses of livestock treated with Diclofenac shortly before death, they ingest the drug. Vultures lack the metabolic enzyme to break down Diclofenac, leading to renal failure (kidney failure) and visceral gout, which results in death. This link led to the ban on veterinary Diclofenac in India in 2006.
Options (a), (c), and (d) are incorrect: Penicillin is an antibiotic, while Aspirin and Ibuprofen are other types of NSAIDs or analgesics. While various drugs can have environmental side effects, they were not the specific cause of the massive vulture population crash observed in South Asia.

Key Takeaway: The veterinary use of Diclofenac is lethal to vultures, causing kidney failure; it has been replaced by the vulture-safe alternative, Meloxicam.

Your note

More from Chapter 1: Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources

Consider the following statements regarding the distribution of population and land resources: 1. Ninety per cent of the world’s population occupies only thirty per cent of the land area. 2. Areas with steep slopes and rugged topography are generally densely populated. 3. Plains and river valleys are densely populated due to suitability for agriculture. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

medium

Which of the following factors are considered "Physical Factors" determining land use? 1. Topography 2. Population 3. Soil 4. Technology 5. Minerals Select the correct answer using the code given below:

easy

With reference to 'Common Property Resources', consider the following statements: 1. Common Property Resources refer exclusively to land owned by private individuals. 2. Community lands are also known as Common Property Resources. 3. Encroachment on these lands is observed primarily to expand agricultural land in urban areas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

hard

Which of the following are cited as major threats to the environment resulting from the expansion of agriculture and construction activities? 1. Land degradation 2. Landslides 3. Soil erosion 4. Desertification Select the correct answer using the code given below:

medium

Consider the following methods for the conservation of land resources: 1. Deforestation 2. Land reclamation 3. Regulated use of chemical pesticides 4. Checks on overgrazing Which of the methods given above are to check land degradation?

easy

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Correct Option

The correct option is (b).

Explanation

Option Analysis

Option (b) is correct: Diclofenac is a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) widely administered to cattle to treat inflammation and pain. When vultures feed on the carcasses of livestock treated with Diclofenac shortly before death, they ingest the drug. Vultures lack the metabolic enzyme to break down Diclofenac, leading to renal failure (kidney failure) and visceral gout, which results in death. This link led to the ban on veterinary Diclofenac in India in 2006.
Options (a), (c), and (d) are incorrect: Penicillin is an antibiotic, while Aspirin and Ibuprofen are other types of NSAIDs or analgesics. While various drugs can have environmental side effects, they were not the specific cause of the massive vulture population crash observed in South Asia.

Key Takeaway: The veterinary use of Diclofenac is lethal to vultures, causing kidney failure; it has been replaced by the vulture-safe alternative, Meloxicam.