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Animal Series
Vulture
Simply because they are large scavenging birds, vultures are often viewed as harbingers of death. But, as Thom van Dooren shows in this cultural and natural history, that dominant association leaves us with a very one-dimensional understanding of a group of actually rather fascinating and diverse creatures. Vulture offers an enlightening new history of this much-misunderstood bird. Vultures vary in type and size, and while some have a diet mainly of bone, others are actually almost completely vegetarian. Most interesting, despite its notorious association with death, the vulture very rarely, if ever, kills for itself. In different cultural mythologies, vultures play a role in disposing of the dead and officiating over human sacrifices, but they have often been viewed as courageous and noble creatures as well—believed to be indispensable in the containment of waste and disease and even to be world creators and divine mothers. Van Dooren explores these many histories, from some of the earliest-known Neolithic sites in which vultures are thought to have consumed the dead to contemporary efforts to reintroduce the bearded vulture into the Alps. Highlighting the rich diversity of vultures and the many ways in which people have understood and lived with them, Vulture invites a new appreciation and wonder for these incredible birds.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 26, 2018
The Reaktion Animal series is a truly wonderful and valuable one. The Hedgehog entry is one of my favorite books upon the subject, and one I lend to many who come to learn about the animal. It has helped me better understand the creatures I care for, and more, the importance of spreading awareness about the plight of the European Hedgehog. Vulture is perhaps an even more valuable book.
It is easy to love a strange animal like a hedgehog. They are cute, or at least charming. They are round, dopey, and utterly benign in all their actions. It is harder to spread that sort of love and affection to an animal like a vulture. Nevertheless, for a very long time hedgehogs were similarly maligned and their comeback story (at least in terms of public consciousness) is an inspirational one. Would it be possible for vultures to be seen in a similar light?
The simple fact of the matter is that vultures are honorable, beautiful, and fascinating birds. They are intensely familial and affectionate within their family and social groups. They do no harm, but rather eat the dead and dispose of carcasses before disease can be spread by them. They serve the important role of purifiers in a world that increasingly needs their presence, especially in places like India where the threat of antrax is real and now the vulture species are largely extinct. They are dying due to the chemicals we often treat our own livestock with - a harrowing message if ever there was one.
This book teaches the beauty of the species and the wonderful diversity, the history both natural and cultural and the importance they hold in society - even now that they are nearly gone. We can only hope people will begin to see the importance of vultures and the roles that they hold; that, eventually, perhaps they can make a comeback and be respected once more. It would be an honor if we could, again, live alongside them.
It is easy to love a strange animal like a hedgehog. They are cute, or at least charming. They are round, dopey, and utterly benign in all their actions. It is harder to spread that sort of love and affection to an animal like a vulture. Nevertheless, for a very long time hedgehogs were similarly maligned and their comeback story (at least in terms of public consciousness) is an inspirational one. Would it be possible for vultures to be seen in a similar light?
The simple fact of the matter is that vultures are honorable, beautiful, and fascinating birds. They are intensely familial and affectionate within their family and social groups. They do no harm, but rather eat the dead and dispose of carcasses before disease can be spread by them. They serve the important role of purifiers in a world that increasingly needs their presence, especially in places like India where the threat of antrax is real and now the vulture species are largely extinct. They are dying due to the chemicals we often treat our own livestock with - a harrowing message if ever there was one.
This book teaches the beauty of the species and the wonderful diversity, the history both natural and cultural and the importance they hold in society - even now that they are nearly gone. We can only hope people will begin to see the importance of vultures and the roles that they hold; that, eventually, perhaps they can make a comeback and be respected once more. It would be an honor if we could, again, live alongside them.
December 12, 2020
Absolutely perfect! So well done. The four chapters were all wonderfully illustrated and interesting and focused on enough details that as a biologist the first chapter was still interesting, but explained terms well enough that I thoroughly enjoyed the history sections as well. A very nice balanced overview of vulture species, biology, perception by humans, history of perception by humans and depiction in their art and current state/endangerment/conservation.
July 5, 2018
Vultures are interesting animals that serve a distinct niche in our ecology. Unfortunately, I am so backed up on reviews that I don't remember much about this book except that it was a good read like the rest of the series.
March 4, 2023
Fascinating read-- loved learning about the cultural anthropology/mythology of vultures.
February 6, 2017
I have a number of books from the Reaktion series sitting on my bookshelf but Thom Van Dooren’s contribution was the very first that I purchased and, for whatever reason, I’ve put off reading it until now. I love vultures, they are by far my favourite group of raptors and yet trying to find a book focused solely on the subject that doesn’t use the word “vulture” without some negative political or financial connotation has proved exceedingly difficult (I eagerly await Katie Fallon’s prospective publication!). Having said that, Van Dooren’s Vulture is a silver lining. Though I know a fair bit about both the old and new world families of vulture species, the book is brimming with fascinating and unexpected material ranging from the division of the two families Cathartidae and Accipitridae (down to a phenomenon known as convergent evolution), the general biology of the vulture, their ecological niche and the role they play of scavenger in the environment, and their cultural history across millennia. The prose is sublime; it’s accessible, engaging and consistently rewarding. Although the cultural backgrounds didn't do too much for me, Van Dooren adequately showcases the wonder of these birds and tactfully dismantles many misconceptions that people have about them. An aspect towards the end of the book that I found surprising and unexpected was his dissection of the term “Lammergeier” which is a colloquial name for the Bearded Vulture. I am a great admirer of this majestic bird, but have used the term freely in the past without ever once thinking about its origin, which is actually revealed to be german meaning “lamb-vulture” or “lamb-hawk”, stemming from the mistaken belief that it attacks lambs, as well as other livestock and even small children (total nonsense, of course). Van Dooren goes on to suggest that the continued use of this name perpetuates a negative image of the bird that is not only woefully misleading, but harmful to its chances of survival in the wild. Human persecution was responsible for a huge reduction of bearded vulture populations that occurred in Europe in the early twentieth century and, despite a reintroduction program that commenced in 1986, still is. A survey of known Bearded vulture deaths over a twenty year period from 1986 found that 58% died as a result of shooting or intentional poisoning and the continued use of the term “Lammergeier” certainly isn’t helping. In the case of the Bearded vulture, there is an awful lot in a name and it's an aspect of the book that left me somewhat in conflict - it's always a good thing to have your perceptions challenged.
Van Dooren furthermore contrasts many of the factors contributing to the worldwide decline of vultures, from Diclofenac to muti (traditional medicines of Southern Africa) to sustained human persecution with the consequences of the absence of these birds in certain habitats, and the picture painted is vivid: Vultures play a vital role in managing the health of wild environments. In places such as India - where a reduced population of Indian White-Backed Vultures due to Diclofenac poisoning has encouraged population increases of feral dogs and thus the incidence of rabies transmissions to humans - the implications of an environment without these specialists is making itself all too clear. Ultimately, the book is both a tribute to vultures and also a resounding plea to slow the plight of them; if attitudes can change, they may just have a chance.
Van Dooren furthermore contrasts many of the factors contributing to the worldwide decline of vultures, from Diclofenac to muti (traditional medicines of Southern Africa) to sustained human persecution with the consequences of the absence of these birds in certain habitats, and the picture painted is vivid: Vultures play a vital role in managing the health of wild environments. In places such as India - where a reduced population of Indian White-Backed Vultures due to Diclofenac poisoning has encouraged population increases of feral dogs and thus the incidence of rabies transmissions to humans - the implications of an environment without these specialists is making itself all too clear. Ultimately, the book is both a tribute to vultures and also a resounding plea to slow the plight of them; if attitudes can change, they may just have a chance.
May 12, 2014
This is another in the series of Reaktion books on different animals. I wasn't sure what I would learn in this particular book but I was pleasantly surprised. I never realized just how diverse Vultures were in the natural world, how culturally important these birds have been over the centuries all over the globe and how threatened they are at the moment. This book along with the other Reaktion series books are definitely good books to read. They are generally only about 140+ or minus pages long but packed with well researched information and do an excellent job of introducing the reader to the animal in question so that a greater insight can be gained. More importantly, the reader comes away with a greater appreciation and concern for the animals discussed. I have written one of the authors and he wrote me back. If you are unable to find one of the copies at your local library, try the library's inter-library loan service, it is a fantastic service.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews