WHAT IT IS
The National Bird and Mammal Institute in Ottawa, Ontario recently loaned the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry a trained turkey vulture for help in the sighting of forest fires.
The excellent eyesight of this bird makes it especially useful for night observations. The pictured turkey vulture is responsible for detecting two forest fires and one cabin fire in its first week of service.
Unfortunately the cabin fire destroyed the structure, but the two individuals occupying the cabin made it to safety. Sapphire took this photo of the bird as it flew overhead.
WHAT IT IS NOT
Every year the World Champion Kite Flying Contest is held near Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, Canada. This year, however, contestants from Ontario and Quebec threatened to boycott the event due to inconsistencies in the judging of the event.
Complaints have skyrocket in recent years, with kite flying clubs complaining that the aerial component of the events were not consistently judged.
To address these concerns, the Board of Governors of the World Championship event has hired a trained turkey vulture to fly among the kites and render final judgements.
WHAT IT IS/WHAT IT IS NOT 