33 Black Vultures Found Killed and Dumped in Great Smoky Mountains

Black vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which makes killing, possessing, or transporting them without a federal permit a criminal offense carrying potential fines and imprisonment. The species has historically been a source of tension with some livestock farmers, who have sought depredation permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after attributing cattle and sheep deaths to vulture activity - a claim that remains contested among wildlife researchers. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, spanning the Tennessee-North Carolina border, is the most visited national park in the country and falls under federal jurisdiction, meaning wildlife crimes committed there are prosecuted at the federal level. The NPS Office of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation.