Vultures only choose sick carrion to eat, but they won't get sick. Why?

Vultures are large birds of prey of eagle order, with a body length of about 1 m and a wingspan of about 2 meters, and some vultures can even reach 3 meters. The biggest feature of vultures is that the upper part of their necks is bare and there are no feathers, which is convenient for them to put their heads into the abdominal cavity of the corpse to eat. The feathers at the bottom of their necks can prevent them from getting dirty when eating. It seems that vultures also pay great attention to food hygiene!

Vultures are known as "scavengers on the grassland". They mainly feed on carrion and rarely prey on small and medium-sized birds, reptiles or livestock. Vultures will eat carrion, and even rabies will not get sick. This is because vultures have two powerful defenses against carrion bacteria. The first is its stomach acid. The PH value of human beings is between 1.5 and 3.5, while that of vultures is almost zero. If the PH value of human gastric acid is 2, vulture gastric acid is more corrosive than human gastric acid 100 times. Not many bacteria can survive in this level of gastric acid.

Vultures have a powerful immune system. Bacteria living in gastric acid will face one of the strongest immune systems in vertebrates, and it can also resist toxins produced by bacteria. With the help of these two magic weapons, vultures have even become epidemic killers. If bugs meet vultures on the road, it will be their last stop. Condor nests can be reused for many years and decorated every year because they mate in the nests. Unlike other irresponsible males, male vultures hatch in turn with female vultures after laying eggs, and the chicks will leave the nest after three to five months.

Although vultures often travel alone, there are usually 3 to 5 vultures, sometimes exceeding 10, so there is food competition among vultures. But strong resistance is not without cost. Vultures spend almost all their resources on developing gastric acid and immune system, so that they pay little attention to their appearance. Stubborn resistance is not without cost. Vultures spend almost all their resources on developing gastric acid and immune system, so that they pay little attention to their appearance.