Why Don't Scavengers Get Sick?

Rotting meat is host to some of the world's most lethal toxins...and yet some animals regularly stomach the stuff without getting sick. Here's how they do it.

CREDITS
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Created by Henry Reich
Production and Writing Team: Alex Reich, Peter Reich, Emily Elert, Ever Salazar, Kate Yoshida, and Henry Reich
Music by Nathaniel Schroeder

Thanks also to our Patreon patrons:
- @AntoineCoeur
- Mark
- @TodayIFoundOut1
- Emil Kampp

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OUR LINKS
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REFERENCES
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Flies, A., personal communication, 2015.

Video clips by Kate Yoshida.

[giacomoricci]

9:00 pm:"I promise, tonight I'm gonna sleep!"

3:00 am: "Why don't scavengers get sick?"

[notdaveschannel]

What the hell is a vulture's stomach lining made of?

[terrorcookie]

can't imagine what its like for a vulture to throw up man that's gotta burn

[LogicBob]

The illustrations for this episode were AWESOME. Interesting video!

[ThesocialreformersTSR]

Scavengers are not usually held in high esteem, but they have a job to do: they clean the earth of organic garbage
#respect

[KaizokuKevin]

I'm hoping that the knowledge of vulture stomach acid being able to corrode steel will come in handy at some point.

[brodman]

Next weapon of mass destruction, Giant bag full of vulture stomach acid

[LazerLord]

I have to say, the artwork in these videos is amazing!

[chimkinNuggz]

That's why its not a bad thing for toddlers to be around pets like dogs and cats because they can start building up a strong immunity at an early age.

[Drums]

This whole video can be boiled down to this: "we don't know"

[marcelo_]

So if eat that old steak full of worms in my fridge... Will i be ok ? I could build a good defense !

[diegosanchez]

1:44 "...like anthrax..." *shows mailhyena with a letter* I UNDERSTOOD THAT REFERENCE!!!!

[jarjar]

Are there any surgeries to transplant a vultures stomach in place of mine? I'm tired of not being able to digest steal

[danmoore]

It would be interesting to know how domestication - thus a "cleaner" food supply - has changed certain animals (our carnivorous dogs and cats spring to mind) immunity profiles.

[jameslee]

2:04 Those guys are dangerously close to apex predators that can rip your throat out with ease. I'd eat that turkey elsewhere.

[TheChemistryShack]

Just throwing out a random guess as to how vultures can survive their first few encounters with harmful pathogens. Maybe they can somehow weaken the bacteria or viruses before they make it to the intestine. This would expose their immune system to a weakened form of the pathogen and help to build immunity.
Just a guess though.

[kilesengati]

What doesn't kills you makes you stronger.

[commoncoolchannel]

0:02: unless it's a Pacific tree frog (it's the only one which goes Ribbet!

[Commander_HW]

0:59 hahahah, so cute! That bug with spray bottle reminds me of my grandma, sprays everything down with vinegar.

[nikoladoctorov]

I can already hear the anti-vax parental screaming from the corner ... 1:52