VULTURES
I always get agitated when my native language doesn’t quite describe the nuance I aim for. I also get annoyed when labels are applied to animals or birds to describe despicable acts by evil people. One of the most misapplied words in the English language is “vulture”. In recent years and previous centuries, humans have committed crimes in the most respectable ways. When their despicable acts are discovered and they hide under the mighty shroud of denial or outright hubris, they are given the label “predator”, “opportunist”, “vulture” and on and on. Sadly, these labels share the name with noble birds like the Vulture.
Listen up: without these busy birds, we would not be able to breathe the air, let alone step outside to get on with life. They work hand in hand with those courageous humans who, daily, do the dirty work to collect road kill and such. So, give them some applause!! They don’t attack living beings. They remove the shell which serves no purpose anymore.
Of course, they can get up to mischief – like any other living being! In the pictures above, they’re “helping” the pelicans steal fish heads that were packaged in boxes and waiting to be shipped. Hey, the fish WERE dead.
So, next time you see a vulture soaring overhead, (or notice several sitting in a tree having a nice conversation after a hard day’s work) instead of shuddering, give up a silent “thank you” to these angels in disguise.