Got Nature? Blog

American Eagle Foundation: Our native vultures play a crucial role in reducing the spread of disease. However, as black vulture population increases, so too have reports of human-wildlife interactions. Researchers at Purdue University are currently performing research to better understand reports of black vulture depredation on livestock, and their ultimate goal is to find solutions that protect both livestock and birds.

AEF interviewed Dr. Pat Zollner, Dr. Zhao Ma, doctoral student Marian Wahl, and Ph.D. alumna Brooke McWherter for insight into their important research.

Check out the great information in this video discussing how this research was started and the concerns shared to the USDA office from state offices and the public.

Find out what types of vulture species are here in the United States and their roles in the story Protect Our Native Vultures, American Eagle Foundation.

Vultures have a role to play as nature’s garbagemen, cleaning up animal carcasses. If you have any questions regarding this research, or have any experiences to share, contact Marian Wahl.

Resources:
Black Vulture Research Highlighted by NY Times, Got Nature Blog, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources
Citizen Participation Needed in Black Vulture Research, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources News
Black Vulture Research, March Edition of Beef Monthly
Black Vulture Ecology and Human-Wildlife Conflicts, Purdue FNR, Dr. Pat Zollner’s WebsiteDiana Evans, Extension and Web Communication Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Marion Wahl, Graduate Research Assistant
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

Pat Zollner, professor of wildlife science, and doctoral student Marian Wahl are researching black vultures in Indiana in order to better understand vulture ecology as well as to develop methods to mitigate future harm to Indiana and Kentucky livestock.

In addition to looking to see what causes some black vulture to become aggressive predators of livestock, instead of simply scavengers, the research group also is looking to learn signs that can determine whether an animal has been killed by vultures or simply scavenged.

For their knowledge of and research on black vultures, Zollner and Wahl were interviewed by the New York Times for its article “Black Vulture Attacks on Animals May Be Increasing.”

“What is totally unknown in Indiana and most places is how often this (predation) happens,” Zollner said. “Addressing that gap is one of the goals of our research.”

More on Zollner and Wahl’s black vulture research and how you can help by either taking an online survey or donating calves believed to have been killed by black vultures can be found in “Citizen Participation Needed in Black Vulture Research.”

Some of the group’s research efforts were recently featured in a pictorial titled “A Day on the SIPAC Farm.” See Wahl, Zollner and undergraduate students Gabrielle Dennis and Danielle Jones in action in the photo feature by Tom Campbell.

This article is shared on Forestry & Natural Resources News & Stories – Black Vulture Research Highlighted by NY Times.

Resources:
Citizen Participation Needed in Black Vulture Research, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) Blog
Black Vulture Research, March Edition of Beef Monthly
Black Vulture Ecology and Human-Wildlife Conflicts, Purdue FNR, Dr. Pat Zollner’s Website
Agriculture & Livestock, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources