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SOME FACTS on vultures |
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VULTURES. PREDATORES Only a hand full of predators, Man is the first, Big cats will kill and eat if times are bad, Hyenas will attack to take the food vultures are eating. To get away from any Danger the vulture will Bring up what it has just eaten, or some projectile vomit that will stink for a few days if it touches you. FLYING Flying is effortless for the vulture circling on the thermals staying on the wing for hours without flapping their wings, Vultures on the wing in groups are known as a KETTLE, known as a VENUE WHEN THEY ARE ON THE GROUND IN GROUPS. FOOD Most vultures have no power in legs or beak they can not rip open thick hide Except the Black Vulture, so they let other animals or birds do it for them, lurch loves to eat off the bone picking away especially the tendons, he rips at them first, then inserts his beak as far as he can sliding along the bone all the time, New world vultures rely on their incredible ability of sense of smell for food and can pick up the smell of a carcase several kilometres away. Even as small as 3cm square. Whilst Old World Vultures rely on visual (Sight) they see other vultures circling and go to investigate, this increasing the number of circling Vultures attracting more and more. Vultures can eat rotten meat at any stage of decomposition with no effect on their health, withstand many types of diseases that kill other animals and birds. Such as Botulinum toxin, (botulism) eat meat that contains anthrax and even cholera have no effect on a vulture, these birds play a very big part in the world by clearing dead animals, THOUSANDS of Vultures in the far East such as India and some surrounding countries are killing them off not by laying poisons but through (what we would call cruelty to other animals.) For instance a horse, donkey, or cow working in the fields suffers a broken leg or has a condition that causes pain, the animal is taken from the fields put into a shed looses money for the farmer. A pain killer called diclofenac which is a non steroidal anti inflammatory. has the effects of a strong pain killer that has anti inflammatory effects, once the animal has had the Diclofenac it will carry on working with out any pain making more money for the farmer without paying big vet bills, those that die are left in the fields to rot the vultures feast on the Diclofenic contaminated carcases, Diclofenac is a poison to vultures and will kill them over a period of time, by kidney failure and visceral gout, very painful death, this has decreased the population of Vultures in India and Pakistan by about 90-95% On the 23rd March 2006 the licence to produce Diclofenac was banned in India for animal use, but still available in some other countries, India has now been using a drug by the name of Meloxicam which has no effect on Vultures what so ever, Meloxicam belongs to the group of medicines known as non inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) it is used for rheumatic disease and ankylosing spondylitis (inflammation of the joints of the backbone) also short term osteoarthritis. Meloxicam stops the chemicals that cause pain and inflammation Meloxicam is now being used by good vets in India and Pakistan, but on the black market Diclofenac can still be obtained for animals. As from April 7th 2008 The Vulture population has increased in India and Pakistan, this is good news as the Vulture is natures cleaners and waist disposal unit. Without people knowing they also help prevent the spread of deadly rotten meat viruses and diseases that could be passed on to man, NESTS American Vultures do not nest in trees most nest on the ground or on a ledge. Some of the Vultures of the old world either pinch old nests and tart them up. Nest on ledges, even nest on the ground. CLEANLINESS Some vultures necks are bold, some have very small fluff type feathers, the reason rotten meat clinging to feathers would take forever cleaning and bold necks stay cleaner, ALSO MITES AND TICKS and other parasites will not stay on the neck to long as the neck is exposed to the suns ultra violet rays to kill bacteria, the vulture also loves to rub its neck on rocks to clean, KEEPING COOL Strange but true Vultures will urinate to cool off also the urine is the most powerful of all natures disinfectant they spray their legs to kill germs, and bacteria. As well as all known mites that live under the scales on the legs. I have seen Lurch do this twice. Since I have had him. The Urine is so powerful that it could be used as a house hold cleaner, but you would not like the smell, to this day I have not heard of any person catching anything harmful from a vulture, if you know of anyone please let me know, SAME NAME BUT DIFFERENT BIRDS African White Back Vulture (Gyps Africanus) are found across the African continent but not really in Somalia they often get mixed up with a near relative of theirs the Griffin Vulture ( Gyps Fulvus) as the Griffin Vulture ages it appears to resemble the white Back, its feathers become duller going into a more dark brown colour that the white back has, White backed Vulture also known as the white rump Vulture, ( Gyps Bengalese's ) are also confused with the Griffin Vulture these are the smallest of the Gyps Vultures weighing about 4.75 Kg and about 78-90cm. In length. Found in central India, Pakistan south Eastern Asia to Thailand and Vietnam. If you are not sure if it is a Africanus, or a Bengalensis all you have to do is count the tail feathers the Bengalensis has 12 tail feathers whilst the other Gyps Family have 14 tail feathers Black Vultures Black Vulture (Aegypius Monachus) or Monk Vulture or Cinereous Vulture Very dark brown on the verge of black feathers. These are Old world Vultures that are European and African that can reach 98-110 cm 39-44 inches long, 250-300cm that’s 99-119inches wing span, and can weigh up to 7-14 kg that’s 15.5—31lbs whilst the no RELATION TO THE NEW WORLD BLACK VULTURE, Black Vulture (Coragyps Atratus) New World Vulture is the American Bird that has the Jet Black feathers they call the Buzzard not to be confused with the English Buzzard which is a ( Hawk) So when you see more than one of the same common name in a list, it could be there are more than one species. And the author does not know the Latin names, LIFE SPAN OF THE BLACK VULTURE As all Birds of Prey as well as garden Birds it is impossible to tell the age of a wild bird in adulthood you can only guess, unless you have followed it all its life. And know if it died from natural causes or killed, some one writes it some one else copies it. YOU KNOW THE SCORE, In captivity a black vulture has lived for 32 years, that is what I have read I do not know for a fact, so I can only say captivity 30 years, in the wild like all birds a lot shorter. 75% shorter so I would say about 7-10 years if you know the answer please let me know, NEW WORLD VULTURES Are Vultures that hunt by smell, detect the carcass starting to decay by the gas Mercaptan given off at the start of the decaying period. this is all the American Vultures including the Black Vulture, Andean and Californian Condor, King Vulture, the Vulture that has the most acute sense of smell is the Turkey Vulture, these vultures are from the family of stalks and Ibises. OLD WORLD VULTURES. Are Vultures that are in the same family as the Hawks and Eagles these can not smell their food they hunt by sight only. VULTURES Are not like Owls they do not see very well in the dark and like to roost at night in their favourite place were they know they are safe from predators. Have you ever wondered why you cant see the ear on some Vultures,? This is because a fine skin covers the ear to stop blood and other bits getting in when they are feasting on the dead body of the fallen animal. |
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This is Lurch helping me build his new aviary30x40ft x12 feet high, he prefers to be outside next to me all the time Lurch has bonded to me like the mother and child syndrome. |
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LURCH is a African White back Vulture and loves to help Around the centre by getting in the way |
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New world Vultures meaning That these come from north and south America as America is a relatively new Land. These Hunt by Smell |
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Old world vultures. Meaning these type of Vultures come from Africa, north & central India, Asia, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Eastern, & Asian countries. These hunt by sight.
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Lurch the White back is preening feathers, this is done mostly with eyes shut to stop the dust going into the eyes, feeling pleasure in what she is doing, but look again, the eyes are white to other birds and animals, small white feathers cover the eye lid to give the appearance the eye is open fooling other animals and birds. |
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FACT.............. If you put your finger in the mouth of a Bird of prey, EXPECT to have it bitten, HARD. |
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I think I am the only person in the world that can feed a Vulture by mouth or hand. DO NOT COPY HOW I FEED THIS VULTURE (WE ARE MATES)
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Can you help with a donation please help us help them. Thank you
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It is the wish of Manyhoots to take Lurch the vulture to a country that has this type of Vulture and research the behaviour Of other wild Vultures towards Lurch and Lurch towards Wild Vultures, as you know Lurch is a very tame and bonded bird to me could this type of work be a benefit to the bird And could she be reverted back into a wild state. Just like ELSA the lioness, in BORN FREE, Read the books BORN FREE, LIVING FREE. |
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Headless Vultures in Africa |