Here’s a cartoon from today’s Seattle Times— the ‘Loose Parts’ cartoon by Dave Blazek that frequently features animals.
I added a few notes. 😉
Vultures have special digestive systems adapted for consuming carrion (dead animals). Their digestive system is unique due to the presence of extremely strong stomach acid*, which helps them break down bacteria and toxins present in decaying meat. They also have specialized gut microbiomes: despite the harsh stomach acid, some bacteria survive and thrive in the vultures’ lower intestines (high levels of Clostridia and Fusobacteria, which are pathogenic to most vertebrates). *The most acidic stomach acid in the animal kingdom, in fact, with a pH level that can be as low as 1.0. This high acidity is crucial for neutralizing harmful bacteria and pathogens that are often abundant in decaying flesh. [Source: Google AI Overview]
