You may have heard of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world at 8,848 meters above sea level. Many people dream of climbing Mount Everest, but it is not easy. To climb Mount Everest, you need to have good physical strength, endurance and equipment, as well as face extreme climate and low oxygen environment. Even so, accidents or dangers may occur.
But you know what? Above Mount Everest, there is a bird that can easily fly around, even higher than Mount Everest. They are black and white vultures.
The black and white vulture is a vulture that belongs to the eagle family. They are mainly found in the highlands of Africa and Asia. They have a body length of about 1 meter and a wingspan of up to 3 meters. Their plumage is mostly black, only the head and neck are white. Their feather-covered head and neck help keep them clean, as they often eat carrion.
The black and white vulture is one of the world's tallest birds, flying over Mount Everest, the roof of the world. It is said that the maximum flight altitude can reach more than 9,000 meters, of course, if you can't fly that high, it is estimated that you can only crash into the steep ice cliff.
So how did the black and white vulture manage to fly so high? This is thanks to their special physiological structure and adaptability.
First of all, the black and white vulture has a very powerful heart and lungs. Their hearts can quickly pump blood to organs throughout the body and can withstand large pressure changes. Their lungs are also very well developed, and there are many air sacs that connect parts such as wings, chest and abdominal cavity. These air bags help them regulate body temperature, balance air pressure, reduce weight, and increase buoyancy.
Secondly, black and white vultures have a special hemoglobin, which is an iron-containing (Fe) binding component (iron supplement) that must be present in the blood to carry oxygen into cells to supply substances needed for respiration (metabolism). This hemoglobin has a strong affinity for oxygen, which means that they can still efficiently absorb and utilize oxygen in a low-oxygen environment. In this way, they can breathe at high altitude without symptoms of hypoxia.
Finally, the black and white vulture has a very intelligent way of flying. They take advantage of temperature differences and wind direction changes in the atmosphere to create a phenomenon called "hot air flow." Hot air flow is a rising flow of air that can fly upwards with black and white vultures. The black and white vulture only needs to spread its wings, hover in the hot air flow, and can ascend to great heights without much effort. Of course, this also requires them to have good vision and judgment to find the right hot air flow.
Why do black and white vultures fly so high, you may ask? This is because they are a carnivore and love to eat dead animals. In the highland areas, some animals often die due to human activities and natural disasters, among other reasons. Black and white vultures rely on their keen sense of smell and vision to search for these bodies in the sky and quickly descend to the ground to enjoy a delicious meal.
Black and white vultures may seem a bit scary, but they actually contribute a lot to the ecosystem. They can remove dead bodies that could cause infectious diseases or pollute the environment, and provide nutrients to other animals. They are also a protected and rare animal, and in many countries there are laws prohibiting their killing or trafficking.
After reading it, did you know more about black and white vultures? If you have the opportunity to travel around Mount Everest, perhaps you will be able to see this amazing and spectacular bird flying in the sky.