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A vulture's metabolism is a true "dead-end" for pathogens, but dogs and rats become carriers of the pathogens. [31] Without vultures, a large number of animal carcasses were left to rot posing a serious risk to human health by providing a potential breeding ground for infectious germs and proliferation of pests such as rats. [6]
A total 537 vultures perished, 468 white-backed vultures, 28 hooded vultures, 17 white-headed vultures, 14 lappet-faced vultures, and 10 cape vultures. Furthermore, 2 tawny eagles succumbed to the poison. For such slow-breeding and long-lived birds, this was a very heavy blow to their population and a major setback to any conservation efforts.
Although vulture trade and consumption is a large threat to vultures, it is not the largest. A whopping 61% of vultures are killed by poisonings, intentional or unintentional. This is compounded by another 9% dying from being electrocuted by exposed wiring. In comparison, 29% were killed for use in traditional medicine, and 1% for food. [2]
Vultures stalk death, and death stalks vultures. Think about the scavenger bird and images of disease and decay soon follow. The birds have a bad reputation – unjustifiably so, say ...
A wildlife rehabilitation group were worried they were dealing with two dying vultures when they came upon the birds "unable to balance" and "passing out," they said in a post to social media. But ...
Vultures also help keep down insect populations that accumulate in dead animals, he added. “I really don’t like the fact that people don’t understand what vultures mean and are,” he said.
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion.There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). [2] Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and South America and consist of seven identified species, all belonging to the Cathartidae family.
Vultures, despite their somewhat bad rep as being harbingers of death, play a big role in ecosystems as nature's clean-up crew. They help control disease by scavenging and consuming the carcasses ...