International Vulture Awareness Day is a holiday observed annually on the first Saturday in September. The purpose of this holiday is to raise awareness about a group of birds that are currently facing immense challenges and to celebrate their importance to our ecosystems.

Currently, there are four species of vultures that are critically endangered: the hooded vulture, Rüppell’s vulture, the white-headed vulture, and the white-backed vulture. Other species of vultures are also rapidly moving closer to critical endangerment status.

That’s unfortunate because these birds perform an extremely important function in the ecosystem. Sure, people might not view them with much respect, but they serve a vital purpose, and all of us should keep that in mind.

The History of International Vulture Awareness Day

International Vulture Awareness Day has been observed in the United Kingdom and South Africa for many years before it was officially recognized as a holiday.

This holiday was originally enacted by the Hawk Conservancy Trust in England and the Birds of Prey Programme in South Africa. However, the holiday did not become an official international holiday until September 2009.

Some Amazing Facts About Vultures

Below are some fun and amazing vulture-related facts that we came across while researching International Vulture Awareness Day. We hope that the following bullet points are not only entertaining but also informative. We also hope that these points inspire people to do their own research about these amazing birds.

• Vultures have few feathers on their necks and heads because feathers would be disadvantageous as they would mat with blood.
• If a carcass is too stiff for a vulture to rip open, it will wait for another predator to open the body before they feed on it.
• Although vultures mainly eat dead animals, they are capable of attacking prey that is wounded, sick, or infirm.
• It’s a persistent myth that vultures feed on healthy livestock.
• The biggest threats that vultures face include poisoning, car collisions, and electrocution from power lines.
• There are currently 23 vulture species in the world. One type of vulture is found on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica.

Observing International Vulture Awareness Day

Learning more about vultures, watching videos about vulture feedings, and attending special vulture-related events are just some of the ways that people can observe this holiday.

It’s also a holiday during which people can donate money to organizations that help with the preservation of vultures and their habitats around the world. Of course, people can also help spread the news about this holiday using the hashtag #InternationalVultureAwarenessDay on social media.