33 black vultures were killed, then ‘dumped’ in Great Smoky Mountains, park says

A grisly investigation is underway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, after nearly three dozen federally protected birds were killed and “dumped” along a scenic parkway, according to the National Park Service.

The birds have been identified as black vultures, a species with a wing span of nearly 5 feet and a penchant for eating dead animals.

“On April 6 at approximately noon, Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers reported a large number of dead birds along the side of the road on Foothills Parkway West,” the NPS said in a May 5 news release.

“Rangers identified that 33 black vultures had been dumped. Black vultures are a federally protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and it is illegal to harm or kill them without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dumping of anything in a national park is illegal.”

Investigators are seeking tips from motorists who may have seen something suspicious on the parkway around April 6.

The motive remains a mystery, but it could have involved a conflict with regional farmers.

Black vultures are increasing in numbers and “their aggressive nature can cause problems for livestock producers,” experts say.

“Unlike the less-aggressive turkey vulture, black vultures are known to gang up and prey on newborn livestock. They sometimes attack cows that are ill or giving birth. While they feed on dead animals, they can kill small to medium-sized animals,” the Missouri Department of Agriculture reports.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee and the Foothills Parkway is on the Tennessee side of the 522,427-acre park. The parkway is currently 22.5-miles long, but 50 additional miles are planned in the future, the National Park Service says.