Rise in black vultures driven by climate change is putting livestock and even small pets at risk
Vultures aided by and protected through a federal conservation law are descending on cattle in Kentucky, say farmers. Farmers further north than what has traditionally been considered black vulture territory are reporting an influx of the birds which, according to scientists, is attributable to warmer winter temperatures. As reported by the , black vultures have spread further North, wintering as far as Massachusetts where minimum temperatures are now similar to their traditional habitats. In a recent report from the , farmers say the increasingly abundant bird has contributed to a noticeable to substantial losses in livestock. Every year, reports the Courier Journal, farmers lose between $300,000 to $500,000 in animals due to vulture's alone. While the black vulture is known for scavenging on the carcasses of animals that have already died, the birds are also a less well-known active predator, who circle and attack live prey. Vulture attacks are not only fatal for cattle, but gruesome. Many times the birds use their sharp beaks to peck out the eyes of their prey before consuming animals alive leaving behind only According to one scientist interviewed by the Courier Journal, warmer temperatures may also be allowing the birds to camp out in areas for extended periods of time in prey-abundant locations. As vultures make their approach into new territory, however, farmers are constrained in their ability to ward the birds off due to the U.S. Migratory Birds Act mean to help conserve species. In order to kill the protected vulture, farmers must obtain permits costing $100 each. Even after the permit is obtained, the farmers are limited in the number of birds they're allowed to kill. Though vultures may be readily adapting an in some cases increasing their numbers as climate change slowly begins to change landscapes across the world, other bird species have not fared as well. Among the avian species threatened by climate change are the mangrove hummingbird, which due to the loss of its natural habitat and limited range, was classified as endangered in 2008. Scientists suspect the patterns of most migratory birds will evolve in response to climate change, though whether that process happens soon enough is up for debate. Cornell University reports that for the black vulture, changes in range took place over 35 years, which as noted by scientists is a long time for one of the most mobile animals on the planet. 'Climatic conditions are steadily moving northward, whether particular animals come along or not. As conservation biologists we need to know how well animals are keeping up,' said Frank La Sorte, a postdoctoral researcher at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in a statement.