Bald "ugly" birds with "strange" addiction to drop do not use special popularity at fans of animal and ecological tourists. The heads of Egyptian vultures soiled by blood, ugly bodies and quarrelsome temper cause disgust, than admiration rather. However, as though we did not treat them, whoever these birds seemed, their role in the nature is very considerable. 
Source
Ecologists sound alarm: Egyptian vultures in trouble. In India, Nepal and Pakistan for the last decade their population decreased for 95 %. The little position of birds in Africa is better.
According to scientists, fans of drop poison through the production – carcasses of the died animals, after all in recent years application of drugs in animal husbandry repeatedly increased. The second possible reason of a sharp decrease of population – actions of the poachers who are purposefully destroying Egyptian vultures that their congestions did not involve security guards of natural grounds in the killed rhinoceroses and elephants.
Simon Tomsett (Simon Thomsett), one of the ecologists working over increase of awareness on a distress of birds and change of the relation to them of the public, shared with BBC audience some unique facts about Egyptian vultures. 1. Record weeds in the world of the feathery
Egyptian vultures constantly soar in height, looking out for production. They use ascending air streams and rise very highly that allows to watch the enormous territory. The author of record flight among birds for all history of supervision considered Ryuppel’s signature stamp. In 1973 over Cote d’Ivoire it saw at height of 37000 foots (11278 m). It is much higher than Everest.
Usually birds are not capable to fly so highly as in the rarefied air oxygen for breath does not suffice. «Researches of this Egyptian vulture revealed number of features of its hemoglobin and some cardiovascular adaptations which allow to breathe in the rarefied atmosphere», – explains Tomsett. 2. The most gluttonous in Africa
«Each tourist coming to Africa believes that main "consumers" of wild animals are lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and jackals. But it not so», – is told by the ecologist.
As an example he gives Serengeti’s national park where the lump of the fallen pasturable animals by estimates exceeds 40 million tons per year. Carnivorous mammals from this figure manage only 36 %, the rest falls to the share of Egyptian vultures. Bacteria compete to them and larvae, but the largest consumers of drop there are birds.
Their role in ecosystems as final pererabotchik of a biomass consists in preventing distribution of diseases and to regulate number of other padalshchik, such as wild dogs. 3. Space without borders
In search of food signature stamps overcome huge distances. Recently researchers described a route of one of Ryuppel’s signature stamps. From the nest in Tanzania it flied behind food to Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia.
Such behavior of birds and impudent neglect frontiers sometimes causes the international scandals. At a boundary 2010 and 2011 the white-headed got to hands of the authorities of Saudi Arabia hoarsed, the GPS transmitter bearing on with marks of Tel Aviv university that gave a reason for splash in a shpionomaniya. 4. Natural antiseptics
In Turkey the habit of Egyptian vultures to urinate to itself on feet is noted. Scientists suspect that such behavior is a part of the hygienic actions providing protection against diseases. The acid which is present at urine, can operate as antiseptics, sterilizing the feet of birds which are actively contacting to a decaying flesh during feeding. 5. Electric expansion
Egyptian vultures in South Africa expand the area along power lines, overcoming distances in thousands kilometers. Support of LEP are used by birds as vacation spot and gnezdoviya.
Nevertheless the electricity can be dangerous to birds. Besides, LEP pass through the rendered habitable regions, near places of cultivation of a livestock that does birds by more vulnerable to poisonings. 6. Variety of a diet
Usual food of Egyptian vultures – remains of dead animals. But not all signature stamps adhere to a strict meat diet. The palm signature stamp with pleasure diversifies the menu with palm nuts, a fig, fish, and sometimes and birds. In hulks he prefers to try to discover larvae and insects. 7. Strong stomachs
Bearded signature stamps – the unique representatives of fauna, whose diet consists for 70-90 % from bones. Their stomachs can cope with the food inaccessible to other types.
Signature stamps are known for improbably high level of acidity of a stomach. Their gastric juice is capable to destroy bacteria, among which causative agents of cholera deadly to many other types and anthrax.
The organism of signature stamps also makes the antibodies, helping to fight against botulism toxins. Even if the illness killed them production, Egyptian vultures can use it in food without negative consequences.
Protect Egyptian vultures!