♪ opening music ♪ ♪ [Narrator] The state of South Carolina is home to some of the most fascinating and diverse wildlife on the planet.

♪ Its varying geographic regions host a variety of ecosystems, each providing the necessary ingredients for life to flourish and grow.

♪ Just as remarkable are the people whose mission is to protect and ensure that these fragile habitats continue to thrive.

♪ Now it's time to learn and discover what's wild.

♪ Hi, I'm Desiree Cheeks.

Today we're at the Avian Conservation Center and Center for Birds of Prey.

For this episode of What's Wild, we're taking a closer look at our feathered friends from South Carolina and discovering how everyday people and organizations are lending a helping hand, or in this case, a wing.

First, let's check out one of the most undervalued bird species in the world and how this center provides an invaluable service to them.

♪ ♪ Haa Huh Aah Aah ♪ ♪ Hah Aah Ahh Haa ♪ While often associated with death and decay, vultures provide one of the most crucial task in the animal kingdom.

To Native Americans, they were known as peace birds and were highly revered for their natural recycling abilities.

Aside from serving as nature's cleanup crew, vultures possess a remarkable set of characteristics that make them truly unique creatures.

From their specialized adaptations to their fascinating behaviors, vultures stand out in the avian community, even though they are often overshadowed by their glamorous counterparts.

Still, these animals face several ecological threats and require urgent need for conservation efforts in order to protect them.

In South Carolina, one organization is taking these essential and misunderstood birds under their wing to secure their future.

♪ Vultures belong to the Raptor family, a term used to describe all birds of prey.

Raptors trace their ancestry back millions of years to an ancient group of theropod dinosaurs, which also gave rise to modern birds.

Today's raptors include eagles, falcons and owls.

Vultures are further categorized into two groups.

Old world vultures and New world vultures.

Despite sharing a similar name and ecological niche as scavengers, these groups exhibit distinct differences in their evolutionary history, physical characteristics and geographic distribution.

♪ Old world vultures found in Europe, Africa and Asia belonged to the Accipitridae family and are more closely related to eagles and hawks.

They have feathered heads, powerful beaks and strong eyesight.

In contrast, New world vultures are found in the Americas.

Belong to the Cathartidae family and have fatherless heads.

in South Carolina.

There are two species of vultures commonly found.

The black vulture and the turkey vulture.

♪ The turkey vulture and the black vulture have some fascinating behaviors.

Both animals prioritize gliding as compared to traditional flying in order to sniff out their prey.

As social animals, when vultures soar information together, they are given the term kettle.

Often held as the heroes of the environment, the vultures most unique quality is their ability to eat rotten or decaying meat.

This is possible due to their highly acidic stomachs and powerful digestive enzymes.

With a pH just over zero vulture stomach acid is stronger than battery acid and 100 times stronger than a human's.

This allows them to consume harmful bacteria such as salmonella, anthrax and botulinum toxin.

Preventing the spread of diseases that would otherwise contaminate the environment and harm other animals, including people.

Vultures also serve as indicators of a healthy ecosystem as they rely on a steady supply of carrion.

Any decline in vulture population can signify larger ecological imbalances or issues such as pollution, habitat loss, or the presence of harmful chemicals.

By monitoring vulture populations, scientists can gain insights into the overall well-being of ecosystems and take necessary conservation actions.

♪ Vultures face various ecological threats that pose significant challenges to their populations.

Most of these threats are anthropogenic, meaning that they're caused directly or indirectly by humans.

One of the major threats is habitat loss and degradation.

Destruction of natural habitats due to deforestation, urbanization or agricultural expansion reduces the availability of suitable foraging areas and nesting sites for vultures.

Additionally, this contributes to the loss of large mammal populations, which are an important food source for vultures.

Now many vultures obtain their primary food source of carrion close to roads where they can be struck by vehicles.

Another critical threat is poisoning.

Vultures are highly susceptible to consuming poison carcasses that can be intentionally set out to target nuisance wildlife or unintentionally through lead or other harmful chemicals people use.

Ingesting toxic substances like lead ammunition or pesticides used in livestock carcasses can result in fatal consequences for vultures.

The cumulative effect of these threats has led to declining vulture populations globally, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect and preserve these vital scavengers.

For 30 years, the Avian Conservation Center and Center for Birds of Prey has been dedicated to the rescue, education and rehabilitation and conservation of birds of prey and other avian species.

Historically, the center was founded in 1991 as the Charleston Raptor Center.

But over the years, as the sensory experienced growth and expansion, they underwent a name change to better encompass their mission.

The organization now operates under three distinct divisions.

The Center for Birds of Prey, the Avian Medical Center and the South Carolina Oil Spill Treatment Facility.

The Center for Birds of Prey, home to 120 bird residents, offers engaging educational programs, including a captivating flight demonstration.

This provides visitors with an up close look at the natural flying and hunting techniques of hawks, falcons, owls, eagles, kites and vultures showcasing their remarkable evolutionary adaptations.

The Avian Medical Clinic plays a crucial role in the rehabilitation and care of avian patients, handling an average of 800 to 1000 bird cases annually.

They receive notifications about injured birds through their dedicated, injured bird line, which serves as the initial point of contact for reporting and providing assistance to sick and injured birds like this black vulture here.

Over 120 trained volunteers from across South Carolina actively participate in responding to these calls, safely catching and transporting the injured birds to the clinic.

♪ When a patient first arrives and undergoes an evaluation of its overall health and is checked for sustained injuries to determine whether any necessary medical treatments or surgeries are needed.

In this case, the vultures lethargy gives clinic technicians a hint as to what is wrong.

An X-ray confirms their suspicions, revealing a bullet that was likely ingested by the bird.

Lead poisoning and gunshot wounds aren't a rare phenomenon here, and they are often fatal.

A sample of the birds blood is further tested for lead using high tech medical equipment.

A hemoglobin test is also administered to check the animal's red blood cells.

A healthy bird on average will have a hemoglobin percentage of 40 percent.

This vulture has a percentage of just four.

Lead poisoning can be so high in patients that sometimes the medical equipment will display errors.

While slightly more expensive, there are alternatives to ammunition that can prevent scenes like this.

While it's heartbreaking that not all birds can be saved, the clinic's experienced staff must make the difficult decision to euthanize those with severe injuries or illnesses.

For the fortunate ones, the clinic provides necessary medical treatments, surgeries and close observation.

Once the birds have made a full recovery, they are released back into the wild, giving them a second chance at life.

♪ The combined efforts of the clinic's dedicated team and the compassionate volunteers ensure that injured birds receive the best possible care and support for their rehabilitation journey back into the wild.

Birds are some of the most diverse animals on the planet, inhabiting nearly every ecosystem.

Next, let's see what bird species can be found around South Carolina's coast and how one massive conservation project is providing a sanctuary for them to thrive.

♪ Nestled along the southeastern coast of the United States, South Carolina boasts a remarkable expanse of 187 miles of coastline, offering a diverse array of ecosystems and habitats.

This coastal stretch is not only a picturesque destination for beachgoers and nature enthusiasts, but also serves as a vital resource for a remarkable variety of bird species.

From nesting and feeding grounds to crucial migration stopovers in wintering sites, South Carolina's coast provides an invaluable haven for coastal bird populations.

In this rich and dynamic environment, a captivating tapestry of avian life thrives, but not without its own share of ecological problems.

In response, the coast has become the focus of some major conservation efforts that are just as necessary as they are wild.

♪ The coastal bird species of South Carolina can be broadly categorized into two main groups, seabirds and shorebirds.

Shorebirds displaying a wide range of sizes, shapes, builds and leg lengths prefer to inhabit mudflats and intertidal areas where they forage for invertebrates that dwell in the soil.

With their migratory nature, shorebirds undertake extensive journeys covering vast distances from their breeding grounds to the wintering areas.

These solitary nesters often conceal their eggs with excellent camouflage.

Notable shorebird species found in South Carolina include sandpipers, plovers and oystercatchers.

In contrast, seabirds in South Carolina typically nest in large colonies on coastal islands and barrier beaches.

This social behavior offers several advantages, such as increased protection against predators and collective defense of nests from unwanted intruders.

Seabirds primarily feed on schooling fish utilizing their specialized adaptations to catch prey efficiently.

Among the seabird species inhabiting coastal areas of South Carolina are pelicans, terns gulls and skimmers.

Both of these avian groups are not only visually striking, but also play a crucial role in the coastal ecosystem by contributing to nutrient cycling and maintaining the ecosystems balance within their marine habitats.

♪ Seabirds and shorebirds along the South Carolina coast face a range of threats that significant only impact their survival.

Habitat loss and degradation due to coastal development poses significant challenges.

The destruction of nesting sites such as coastal islands and barrier beaches disrupts breeding colonies and forces these birds to seek alternative, often less suitable habitats.

Pollution, including oil spills and marine debris, also pose a severe threat to these avian species.

Ingestion of plastic and entanglement in fishing gear can result in significant population declines.

Additionally, disturbance caused by human activities such as beach recreation and disturbance of nesting sites can disrupt breeding behaviors and lead to reduced reproductive success.

The coastal bird species across North America have experienced a staggering decline of 70 percent over the past four decades.

Efforts to mitigate these threats through conservation measures, habitat protection and public awareness are crucial to safeguarding their future.

♪ Prior to Hurricane Irma in 2017, the Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, served as an important nesting site for these birds.

However, the devastating storm removed the last remaining bit of ephemeral island left.

in late 2021, the Crab Bank Restoration Project began and was one of the biggest conservation endeavors in the state's history.

This massive undertaking was constructed by the Charleston district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was the nonfederal sponsor.

The project involved the one time placement of approximately 660,000 cubic yards of compatible material from the Charleston Harbor deepening post 45 project.

To carry out the restoration work, the Corps of Engineers contracted with the Norfolk Dredging Company to restore critical habitats for coastal bird species.

Approximately 35 acres of prime nesting habitat above high water was restored, benefiting a wide variety of nesting and migrating coastal species.

Since its restoration, increased numbers of nesting birds have been observed, making the project a success.

The Crab Bank project serves not only as a vital conservation initiative, but also as an educational opportunity for the public.

It emphasizes the significance of habitat restoration and the collective work required to protect and preserve coastal bird habitats in South Carolina.

The project's successful implementation demonstrated the dedication and collective efforts invested in safeguarding these important ecosystem and securing a future for the coastal bird species that rely on them in the wild.

Sadly, human related sources are the number one contribution to declining bird populations, causing over 1000 bird species to be listed under some form of wildlife protection law.

For our last segment, let's take a look back at one of our threatened bird species of South Carolina and how local conservation initiatives are being implemented to save them.

♪ There are approximately 18,000 bird species around the world.

♪ These highly adaptable descendants of the dinosaurs are found on every continent from the icy waters of Antarctica to the canopies of tropical rainforests.

♪ Even though they come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, all birds share the same characteristics of having wings, feathers and the ability to lay eggs.

♪ In South Carolina, some birds travel vast distances called migrations, while others prefer to stay year round.

One special bird called the Red-cockaded woodpecker lives in a very distinct habitat of the state and has one wild story.

♪ The Red-cockaded woodpecker is commonly located in the geographic region of South Carolina, known as the sandhills.

What's wild about the sandhills is that it was once a beach.

Over millions of years, the ocean receded due to a cool down period in our planet's history, known as an ice age.

Today, the sandhills region is home to a unique ecosystem dominated by rolling hills, pine forests and some of South Carolina's rarest wildlife.

Because there is so much sand, rainfall drains rapidly in the sandhills, so only the most well equipped plants and animals can survive in this harsh environment.

Trees like the longleaf pine have adapted and grown wide stretching root systems to extract nutrients and water over a larger area and have also developed a fire resistant bark.

One of the uncommon features of the sandhills is that it often experiences lightning induced fires.

Now prescribed manmade burnings help promote healthy new growth and regulate other tree species, making the longleaf pine, the primary roosting site for the Red-cockaded woodpecker.

Unlike most woodpeckers who prefer dead trees, the Red-cockaded woodpecker is the only woodpecker that nest in live pine trees.

That's because longleaf pine secretes pine resin, a sticky sap that provides the perfect defense for nest against predators.

♪ The Red-cockaded woodpecker gets his name from the stripe of red feathers located behind the eye of male birds.

They live in families, called clans, often foraging and working together within a territorial cluster of trees.

Within the clan, lies a complex social system, typically consisting of a male and a female breeding pair with one or two helpers.

The helpers are usually made up of the male offspring of the breeding pair and take turns incubating the eggs, excavating new nest and feeding the babies.

When searching for new trees to nest in, Red-cockaded woodpeckers often pick trees infected with red heart disease, a fungal infection that causes the inside of the tree to rot, making the work of pecking new holes easier.

Sadly, deforestation has caused this once flourishing ecosystem to shrink, decreasing the bird population.

Due to habitat loss, The Red-cockaded woodpecker was among one of the first species to be listed as endangered.

To help restore the population, wildlife management has come up with some crafty ways of preserving the species.

Artificial nests like these helped the Red- cockaded woodpecker by providing a breeding home in trees that the birds would otherwise be unable to excavate.

Both artificial and natural nests are marked off with white bands around the trunk of the trees and are monitored for activity.

To get this data, the South Carolina Forestry Commission uses specialized camera rigs to get a closer look into the bird's movement and population.

Hopefully, in time this information will prove useful in the recovery of this amazing little bird.

Can't get enough of What's Wild?

Go to SCETV.org for more exciting episodes of South Carolina wildlife.

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From everyone at South Carolina ETV I'm Desiree Cheeks.

Thanks for watching and remember to stay wild.

♪