This is a Ruppell’s vulture we visited at the Greenville Zoo. They are amazing animals! Ruppell’s vultures are actually the highest flying bird known to science. They have been confirmed at 37,000 feet, the same as a commercial airliner. They have specially adapted blood that allows for efficient oxygen transfer, even in the low oxygen / low pressure environment where they fly. Their range mostly covers the Sahel region of Africa, which is of special interest to us here at Montrose Biology. The Sahel is a transitional region of North Africa that stretches from coast to coast and is the border region between the desert and savannas/forests. Our next game is focused on the Sahel region and these “drylands,” where a push in either direction can result in transitional lands either being more desert like or more forest like. There is actually a multinational project called the “Great Green Wall,” which is trying to keep these drylands from becoming desert by planting a wall of trees across Africa. It’s fascinating stuff! 🦅🏜️☀️ #nature #biology #sahel #ruppellsvulture #drylands (at Greenville Zoo) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl6s9V0uJsj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
