The world record for flight height was set with this bird
When you look at a bird flying in the distance, have you ever wondered how high it can fly?
According to Euronews, the species that holds the record for the highest flight height among all birds is Gyps rueppellii. In 1973, a Ropel vulture collided with a commercial airliner at an altitude of 11,300 meters over the Ivory Coast in West Africa.
The plane managed to land despite losing one of its engines. But the bird was not so lucky and did not survive. All that was left of this bird were 5 complete feathers and 15 smaller pieces of feathers, which of course were enough to identify the species and confirm the incredible height of this bird.
This bird is native to the Sahel region of Africa and is found in several countries including Zimbabwe, Senegal and Ethiopia. The powerful wingspan of these birds reaches more than 2 meters, however, these Rupel's vultures rarely use them in flight.
In fact, these vultures, in their continuous ascent to high altitudes and to soar and search for prey, often ride on the thermal and rising columns of the atmosphere.
Scientists say it is entirely possible that the 1973 incident of a Roppel vulture hitting a commercial airliner was an exception. In fact, there are reasons why birds are not usually seen near high-altitude airliners. One of the main reasons is related to oxygen.
Vulture Dal Rupel Lip Kee/Flickr
Among other competitors of Rupel's vulture in the heights, we can mention the gray tern. Researchers have recorded one of these terns at an altitude of 10,000 meters while escaping from an eagle in the Himalayas. A white-headed goose has also been observed at an altitude of 7300 meters in this area.
Since the recording of these cases and even with modern tracking technologies, there has been no record of another bird coming close to Rupel's vulture record, and for this reason, the limit of soaring in the sky is still at the disposal of this bird.
This is because the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the Rupel's vulture in the list of critically endangered birds.
This species of vulture, like many similar African birds, is threatened by habitat loss, hunting and reduced access to its only food source, carrion.
Poisoning from pesticides such as “Carbofuran” as well as the drug “Diclofenac” has also been effective in reducing the population of these birds.
Diclofenac is commonly used as an anti-inflammatory in veterinary treatments, but Ruppel's vultures can die if they eat the carcasses of animals that have taken the drug.
This becomes surprising when we know that Rupel's vultures can eat and digest meat infected with anthrax and botulism without any problems.
