Circling high above the South African plains, nature's own sanitation crew spots another clean-up site. Cape vultures provide an invaluable service to the farmers below, disposing of carcasses and preventing the spread of disease. But Wild Chronicles has discovered that some vultures are dying, and the farmers may be playing a role.
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How soon do vultures arrive to feast on a fresh carcass?
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Vultures can arrive within minutes.
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Answer
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Why do some South African farmers put poison in carcasses on their land?
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Farmers hope to poison jackals, a scavenger that also preys on livestock.
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How is Dr. Gerhard Verdoorn working to reduce the unintended vulture deaths?
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He is working with farmers to set more efficient, humane traps that only target jackals.
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carcass
Noun
dead body.
disease
Noun
harmful condition of a body part or organ.
farmer
Noun
person who cultivates land and raises crops.
invaluable
Adjective
priceless, or extremely valuable.
sanitation
Noun
promotion of hygiene, health, and cleanliness.
vulture
Noun
bird that mostly eats dead animals.