Humans helped vultures colonize the Canary Islands
Sunday, December 12, 2010 - 20:31
in Paleontology & Archaeology
The Egyptian vulture population of the Canary Islands was established following the arrival of the first human settlers who brought livestock to the islands. A genetic comparison of Iberian and Canarian birds found that the Egyptian vulture population in the Canary Islands was likely established around 2500 years ago -- around the same time as humans began to colonize the islands.