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Squawk, squawk: Today is Vulture Awareness Day

It's time to spare a thought for our threatened flying friends

It's come to our notice that the first Saturday in September is Vulture Awareness Day, and so we're happy to do our bit in raising said awareness of our fave flying animal.

Loads of participating organisations worldwide have swooped down on this central feeding point, and they'll be doing their bit to fly the flag for winged carrion feeders around the world.

There are 23 species of vulture in total: 16 "Old World" members in Africa, Asia, and Europe (family Accipitridae), plus seven "New World" representatives in the Americas (Cathartidae).

Fourteen of these are considered under threat, including the white-rumped vulture (aka the oriental white-backed vulture, Gyps bengalensis). This species is pretty well dead on its claws in India and southeast Asia, having been particularly hard hit by the use of Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug for cattle. Birds feeding on carcasses tainted by the drug suffer fatal kidney damage.

Mercifully, our own Reg the Vulture is still in robust health, although quite what species he is has never been scientifically determined. He has a distinct Old World look about him, though. ®

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