Re: T.rex predation

["Gigi Babcock or Ralph Miller III" <gbabcock@best.com>]

Stan Friesen wrote:
> >As far as I know the few primary scavengers that exist never even bother
to
> >try to take down live prey.  (Yeah, a vulture attacking something -
uhuh,
> >sure).
 
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. wrote:
> Although I don't know if they do this in the wild, vultures DO pounce on
and
> kill live rodents in captivity (this from people I've talked to who raise
> carnivorous birds).

Yes, some vultures in the wild do take down live prey if they can do so
without too much trouble.  I recently saw a program on the <Kratt's
Creatures> television show concerning the Aribata (pardon my spelling). 
This is the event which involves huge numbers of sea turtles laying
millions of eggs in the sand across a vast stretch of Costa Rican beach. 
The eggs and hatchlings are besieged by a number of predators, including
crabs and crocodiles.  Vultures also pick off the turtle hatchlings with
ease.  Not exactly sporting of them, but that's nature for you!

Ralph Miller III <gbabcock@best.com>