Episode 18 - Vultures, with Hillary Hankey
The phrase "Circling like a Vulture" doesn't often conjure pleasant imagery. One may circle like a Vulture over an estranged great Aunt's belongings in the months preceding her death. One may circle like a Vulture over a promotion at the Law firm where you've been busting your ass for the last 7 years. "Circling like a Vulture" implies a predatory behaviour, carefully plotting yet somewhat opportunistic. Waiting in the shadows for the right moment... Well that phrase is dumb, and so are you. They aren't waiting for you to die, idiot, some of them are attracted to the smell of death. Your last waking moments on this planet as you die in the desert will not see you face-to-face with a Vulture, that's for sure. There's a lot of preconceived notions about Vultures that are just plain wrong: that they're ugly (YOU'RE ugly), that they're omens of death (YOU'RE an omen of death...). But really, these bald-headed wonders are the secret saviors of sanitation, and are remarkably clean birds themselves (for animals that gorge on rotting flesh). Okay, so they may be a LITTLE jerky towards bird trainers, as this week's guest, Hillary Hankey, will tell you. BUT, they should probably get a pass since they keep deadly diseases away from humans. Vultures - 1, Humanity - 0. Our Charity of the Week this week is the incredible Vulpro - who are tackling the issues faced by Vultures in southern Africa. If you love a good Vulture, check them out here: www.vulpro.com.