00:00This bird literally pukes acid straight at attackers up to 10 feet away.
00:04Meet the turkey vulture, a large scavenger that lives in shrublands, forests and deserts
00:09from Canada to South America. It lives almost entirely on rotting carcasses. Its stomach acid
00:15is as strong as battery acid and can dissolve deadly bacteria that would kill most animals,
00:20like anthrax and botulism. Despite their large size, with wingspans reaching around
00:25five and a half feet, they're preyed upon by other birds, including eagles and hawks.
00:29When threatened, they projectile vomit chunks of partially digested food, aka acidic sludge.
00:35The acidic vomit can sting and distract predators long enough for the vulture to escape.
00:40Losing this weight also improves its lift for a quick getaway.
00:43And here's its second superpower. They use their own poop as an antiseptic wash.
00:47Because their digestive juices are highly acidic, pooping on themselves acts as a disinfectant
00:53that they can use to wash their skin after walking on rotten meat. Disgusting? Oh absolutely.
00:58But also brilliant. What amazing animals should we share next?
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