This phenomenon will pose a serious threat to the environment, he says S.S. Sreedhar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Management, Eluru, on Thursday expressed anguish over the disappearance of vultures. Speaking at a seminar on ‘Green chemistry -- its impact on environmental protection’ held here under the aegis of Sir C.R. Reddy College, he said the disappearance of vultures, known as natural scavengers, will pose a serious threat to the environment. Use of painkillers by humans was prohibited by the government. But they were being used as veterinary medicines, resulting in the extinction of vultures and the other species. The drastic changes which had found their way into the food chain system spell disaster for a large number of animals and bird life. Foodgrains, on which animals and birds feed, contain higher levels of pesticide residues following their application in agriculture in heavy doses. As a result, such food proves to be no longer safe to animals and bird life, the CCF said. He said the number of vultures fell much below that of tigers as a result of the changes in the environment.