Falling vulture numbers in the Americas could have serious implications for public health and ecosystems, new research has found.
Falling vulture numbers in the Americas could have serious implications for public health and ecosystems, new research has found.
A first-of-its-kind study conducted in Costa Rica has revealed that pig carcasses take twice as long to decompose if vultures are not present to provide their rapid recycling services.
Notably, other scavengers do not fill the void left by the absence of the birds, except for flies, whose numbers were seen to double with the reduced competition.
The study, published in Ecology and Evolution, and led by scientists in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, Cornwall, and OSA Conservation in Costa Rica, shines a light on the underappreciated role played by vultures. It also raises questions and concerns about the potential impact of increased fly populations on the environment and human health.
Read More: University of Exeter
A king vulture. (Photo Credit: Andrew Whitworth)
