Saving the vultures

Farmers are to be allowed to leave dead livestock in their fields in parts of Europe, a measure designed to help starving vultures.

Many vultures have been starving to death since European rules aimed at tackling mad cow disease forced all dead livestock to be cleared away. This in turn forced the birds to forage farther afield, with one vulture even being spotted perched on top of a bus shelter in Brussels.

MEPs voted for a change in the law and this will allow farmers to leave dead livestock in their fields, providing it is deemed safe and hygienic. Vultures, nature’s cleaners, can strip a dead cow or sheep carcass in a matter of hours.

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