Green Group discussion

I will be reading this book next for our group. If anyone wants to contribute, feel free to do so.

by Katie Fallon

When I see vultures, I am always amazed at the power of evolution. When there is a food source, in this case dead animals, some living creature will evolve enough to be able to eat it. Without reading the book, my understanding has always been that the birds evolved by acquiring more stomach acid to deal with the rotting meat.

"A turkey vulture is neither prey nor predator. It exists outside the typical food chain, beyond the kill-or-be-killed law of nature, although death it would starve. . . . The vulture transforms . . . deaths into life. It wastes nothing. It does not kill. It is not a murderer, and it is not often murdered."

The Cherokee called them "peace eagles." Their Latin name, Cathartes aura, means "breezy cleanser." It is the world's most widely distributed scavenger bird. It is equally visible to everyone. Toxic lead pellets are a common source of dead vultures. (Can't we get the lead out, folks?)

Why the negative impression? Their naked heads? Their diet? Their reminder of impending death? The fact that they vomit at you when threatened?

I had an encounter with a turkey vulture once. I don't know if it was on the way to eat something or if it was confused for some reason, but it flew out of the woods at a low altitude - basically 5 feet off the ground. I was walking on a street that has woods on one side and houses on the other, but also has a meadow area. The turkey vulture appeared out of nowhere (in my perception) and flew directly in front of my face and very close to me. I had no idea what it was at first and I was really startled. It stayed in the air over the meadow long enough for my husband to get there from a block away. I knew he would want to see it. It was very impressive, with a huge wingspan. I still don't know what it had found. I didn't know they vomit when threatened. Sure glad it didn't find me threatening!! ;-)

A disturbing video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbLE1...

The vultures aren't alone in their lack of being appreciated for reasons only a human being could rationalize. The entire world of organisms, from the smallest to the biggest that recycle everything back into a condition that makes it easily reusable is often looked upon, when its existence is even considered, with at best, a big lack of enthusiasm bordering on ick.

Creatures and fungi which eat debris are called detritivores. They make nutrients available to the other plants and animals.

Vultures in India were being poisoned by the veterinary treatments applied to cattle, which are not generally eaten in India. As the scavengers cleared up the carcasses, then died, the vultures were not available to clear up the human bodies either. A serious contamination problem arose.

In 2016 they wanted to use the same drug in Europe that was killing the vultures in India.

When ever human beings make something easier for themselves, somewhere down the line there is always going to be pain and suffering. Because we make shortcuts, not improvements. We think progress is simply a matter of getting from point A to point B in a shorter amount of time, no matter what the cost is.

A few caveats, Robert - leaving dead cattle lying around is illegal in Europe and they can't even be buried on the farmer's own property due to the risk of spreading BSE and brucellosis. And all animals intended for human consumption have to pass a veterinary welfare check and be clear of medication, including antibiotics and growth hormones, for at least three months. This is the main reason why Europe does not accept American meat.

The most heroic of all vultures appears in the Hindu Ramayana. Very few examples like that in pop culture, including children's cartoons.

Lead is a deadly toxin for all animals. However, lead ammunition is still legal in most states. In states like Pennsylvania and West Virginia, thousands of deer are killed and their offal left in the woods. Carrion eaters will then eat the fragments of lead shot. Same thing happens to humans eating the meat.

Efforts to ban lead shot run into difficulties. Here in NH we try to couch it around saving loons. We need to pick an iconic animal to get people to take action. The National Rifle Association and other gun groups claim it is a slippery slope. Ban lead shot and the next thing you know FBI agents will take away your guns. The NRA does more damage in this country than just about any other group I know. If you live in another country, don't let them get a foothold.

California condors are cousins of the vulture. In 1987, it was officially extinct in the wild when the last 22 individuals were captured. An intensive captive-breeding program was launched. Now more than 400 are alive in the wild. More than 5 million dollars is spent annually to keep them alive.

We would have more species of vulture in North America if more of our megafauna had survived. Those birds needed big dead bodies to eat.

Condors need carcasses to survive. Hunters help them to survive by leaving offal on the ground. However, the lead shot was also a problem. Unfortunately, scientific evidence does not always convince people of a need.

The author describes a ranger discussing lead shot. A man argues with the ranger. "Birds eat lead paint too" he says. The he walks out. It is necessary to change that man's mind, but how? The NRA is not helping.

Some wounded vultures need to be euthanized, some are saved, and others can never leave a cage. Dead birds provide feathers that can be grafted onto wounded birds. The surgical process is called "imping." The caged birds provide inspiration for observers.

Feather imping:

https://tristatebird.org/what-is-feat...

In Europe, each country decides if and how it will be used. The countries using it are where most of Europe's vultures are. The diclofenac is used on cattle because it is cheaper than the drug which does the same thing but doesn't kill the birds. It is also used as part of a wider treatment program in Latvia and Turkey. It is exported to countries outside of Europe.

It also kills also birds in the same bird family as the vultures, several types of eagles have found to be at risk. It probably also kills other kinds of birds but the research hasn't been done. The drug wasn't identified until it had killed off sizable percentages of the the southeastern Asian vultures, where it was then banned.

Secondary distribution of the drugs given to farm animals is never addressed, such as spilt feed or pissing it out in the fields where any number of animals, insects, or plants can pickup the drug or it's breakdown components and put it in into food circles. I'm calling them food circles, instead of chains or pyramids because it doesn't trickle down into nothingness in linear fashion but rather comes back again and again in one form or another.

"Vulture" by Robinson Jeffers

https://humanisticpaganism.com/2014/1...

"Song of the Turkey Buzzard" by Lew Welch:

http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/welch/...

Clare wrote: "A few caveats, Robert - leaving dead cattle lying around is illegal in Europe and they can't even be buried on the farmer's own property due to the risk of spreading BSE and brucellosis. And all an..."

"This is the main reason why Europe does not accept American meat." I wonder how many American meat-eaters are aware of this. It doesn't inspire my confidence, that's for sure.

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California condor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLD7O...