By Shivangi Mishra
Every year, on the first Saturday of September, conservationists, bird enthusiasts, and nature lovers around the globe come together to mark International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD). This day reminds us of the critical role vultures play in keeping ecosystems healthy and the urgent need to protect them.
This year, I started my very first podcast, and it debuted as a special episode for IVAD 2025:
Vulture Talk: Wings, Microbes, and The Wild!
This conversation brought together Zakie Hage, a fellow vulture enthusiast and Master’s student at the University of Calgary, and myself, with the discussion moderated by my friend and colleague Myriam Gerber, University of Calgary.
The episode was recorded at the Arctic Institute of North America, giving us an amazing setting for our conversation.
In this episode:
Together, we explored fascinating aspects of vultures—their ecological importance as nature’s clean-up crew, their importance in culture, unique microbiome, and the challenges they face in the wild. We also reflected on why raising awareness is so crucial, especially at a time when many vulture species are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, poisoning, and lack of awareness.
International Vulture Awareness Day is more than a date on the calendar—it’s a reminder that every step we take to protect vultures is a step towards a healthier, more balanced planet. 🌍💚 Let’s keep the conversation alive, protect their skies, and ensure that vultures continue soaring for generations to come.
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