Fresno Chaffee Zoo celebrates vultures

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It was all about vultures on Tuesday at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.

The zoo held fun activities at the Condo Exhibit in honor of International Vulture Awareness Day, which was a couple of days ago.

They set up a few booths so kids can learn, do some coloring and crafting. They even had a scavenger hunt.

Jennifer Wesson, who is the Curator for Birds and Program Animals, said that there are about 20 species of vultures that are either threatened, endangered, or critically endangered.

She is adds vultures really help our environment.

"Vultures have a very strong digestive system they are able to clean up our environment. They are able to eat carry-on and things that would have botulism and other diseases that could spread, including rabies....So they are actually helping decreasing the spread of rabies in the wild, yea not too many people know that," she explained.

The zoo is also donating a portion of the proceeds from their plush animal sales, which is part of their adopt-an-animal program, to a condor conservation program.