Two Vultures Partied Too Hard on Dumpster Booze and Couldn't Even Fly
On April 9, A Place Called Hope, which is a wildlife rehabilitation center for birds of prey, located out of Killingworth, Connecticut, shared how they were able to help two vultures who partied a little too hard before the solar eclipse.
The 'dynamic duo', as the rescue center calls them, decided to dumpster dive and get into something that was so fermented it caused the birds to get wasted. They were so tore up they couldn't even fly.
Vultures are such fascinating creatures and they do have a very advanced sense of smell. They can detect carrion and decaying matter from great distances. Some species can smell a carcass from several miles away. I think it's safe to assume this pair smelled something they found mighty delicious in this dumpster and decided to indulge quite a bit.
A Place Called Hope posted on Facebook, "These two, the dynamic duo... celebrated a day early for the eclipse by dumpster diving and getting themselves into something that was fermented enough to cause severe intoxication. They were literally drunk. Unable to balance, stand, kept passing out or in our eyes, actively dying... we ran every test and in the end, they were too drunk to fly. They only needed fluids and to be tucked in overnight... and fed a BIG breakfast the next day. Watertown Animal Control and all of us at APCH suspected the worst... We were all very confused until the details of their story fell into place which eventually confirmed our suspicions after ruling everything else out. Thankfully, they returned home today before our Center could be labeled a "detox" facility."
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Happily, the rehab (and detox!) facility shared their happy release on Facebook as well.
People on Facebook are loving these party animals and one person commented, "Hopefully they will not relapse. Cheers to you for saving these two!" Another added, "If there is a next time get a designated driver.... umm flyer." Someone else said, "Those Birds should be sent to A.A. (Avian Anonymous.)"
The rehab center also added, "Enjoy and remember, your cocktail fruit that ends up in a dumpster can end up intoxicating wildlife if the dumpster is not kept closed. Birds don't let other birds fly drunk... this dynamic duo had each other's backs, but I don't know if any lessons were learned on their end... Quite the story! and drunk vultures are not easy patients, just sayin'"
Fun Facts About Vultures and How They Eat
Vultures, despite their somewhat bad rep as being harbingers of death, play a big role in ecosystems as nature's clean-up crew. They help control disease by scavenging and consuming the carcasses of dead animals, preventing the spread of pathogens and reducing waste.
So how do vultures eat things that would make most other animals amazingly sick? Vultures have highly acidic stomachs that let them consume and digest dead matter that may be infected with bacteria or toxins. Their stomach acids kill harmful pathogens, making vultures resistant to diseases carried by decaying flesh. Vultures also use this stomach acid against predators, and will puke on other animals that threaten them!
Here's hoping this dynamic duo lays off the dumpster sauce!
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