ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the relationships between New and Old World vultures and other birds and mammals. These relations concern predation, competition, cooperation, and adaptation. Carrion removal is a broad activity and a vital service for ecosystems (Sekercioglu 2006). Most animal carcasses are consumed by other vertebrates (Brewer 1994; DeVault et al. 2011). These vertebrate scavengers include not only obligate scavengers such as vultures, but predators such as raptors and carnivorous mammals (termed facultative rather than obligate scavengers). Disturbed or highly altered habitats may have less effi cient ecosystem services (including scavenging) than intact, diverse habitats (Perfecto et al. 2004; Sekercioglu 2010). This is because the former may require behavioral adaptation from the scavengers and some species may not adapt to ecosystem instability (Campbell 2009). The competitive relationship between vultures and nonobligate scavengers is based on a shared attraction to carrion and may intrude into other relationships across the ecosystem.
