33 dead vultures dumped in Great Smoky Mountains spur investigation

[Jilly_in_VA]

An investigation is underway after more than 30 dead vultures were found dumped along a roadway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park last month, according to the National Park Service.

Park officials said rangers discovered 33 dead black vultures along the side of Foothills Parkway West in Tennessee on April 6 at approximately noon local time. The birds were found between Chilhowee and Walland, according to a May 5 park service release.

The black vulture is federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, making it illegal to harm or kill the birds without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"Dumping of anything in a national park is illegal," park officials said in the release.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/05/07/dead-vultures-great-smoky-mountain-national-park-investigation/89977056007/?tbref=hp

Look, y'all. Vultures may be ugly, but they serve a very useful purpose. As my late Israeli friend, who had made quite a study of them, once said, "Think how bad the world would smell if not for them. Nobody loves a garbageman."

[Easterncedar]

1. The vulture I saw close up on the arm of a rehabilitator was weirdly gorgeous

More calm awareness of the indoor class situation than the raptors seemed to display. It had a beautiful ivory beak and blue eyes. The eye color was unusual, said the handler. Anyway, I can’t think of them as ugly any more.

[mopinko]

5. there's a guy in chgo who is an animal wrangler.

son of the guy who supplied critters to ray raynor. supplied the critters for groundhog day. used to come every dec to a bird club i belonged to.
he had 1 of these guys. i dont think they’re ugly. i think they’re cool.

he also had a huge snake, a python, iirc. we all brought our kids for that meeting, and he’d line them up and drape that snake across them. lol. it was somethin.

[Jilly_in_VA]

14. They're beautiful in flight

and I'm told that at least some species court in the air, which must be gorgeous to see.

[HAB911]

2. I support this message

[GiqueCee]

3. Many decades ago...

... I happened upon a vulture picnic which startled me as much as it did them. Be warned! Vultures can projectile-vomit a considerable distance! NOT a pleasant experience.

[ChazInAz]

12. Thank you.

You made my inner thirteen-year-old laugh raucously.
For obvious reasons, I don't let him loose in public very often.

[Kali]

4. My understanding is they will kill young animals

unlike Turkey Vultures. Probably some angry farmer that lost valuable livestock. Not saying that's justification for illegal behavior, but they are known to be more than just scavengers.

[Farmer-Rick]

7. I have more problems with raptors

Eagles, red tail hawks and Cooper's hawks go after my chickens. Though they keep the rabbit and field rat numbers down. I just put up a flapping piece of tarp to keep them away. I would never kill them. Yeah, they make me angry when they get through my defenses, but why kill birds just doing their job.

But I have never seen a black vulture attack any of my lambs, chickens or calfs. There is a thermal above my house that they like to catch upwards. They fly overhead all the time.

[Kali]

9. We only have Turkey Vultures out here

And it is weird, but never lose chickens to hawks and they are around all the time. Now skunks, coyotes, and coatis...

[Farmer-Rick]

13. Yeah, skunks, racoons , coyotes

Muskrats even escaped pigs go after my chickens. I have electric mesh fencing all around them now. That keeps the land predators down to a rare killing. But when they come from above, they are a little harder to keep away.

Everything likes to eat chicken.

[Red Mountain]

16. Their range is expanding west

and their population growth in the eastern US is pretty amazing.

[Kali]

18. I have heard that

rather have another warm blooded predator than screw worms, though!

[Red Mountain]

17. I've lost lambs

Usually one of twins. They'll move in and eviscerate the first born while mom is busy with the second. Some states have problems with them going after calves but I haven't experienced that. Yet.

Not a fan of black vultures. Turkey vultures are all good.

[Srkdqltr]

6. Someone was making a point? You think?

[NEOH]

8. Probably a MAGAt...

Just doing his part in keeping America great…

[thesquanderer]

10. They should start questioning all the local windmills. (n/t)

[peppertree]

11. They forgot this one:

[maxsolomon]

15. Skeletal USA Today article doesn't say how they died.

Seems likely they were baited with poisoned carrion, their corpses gathered up and dumped.

I don't think anyone on DU is pro-Black Vulture poisoning. The hillbillies that did this don't visit liberal discussion boards.