Re: scavenging T rex

[rowe@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu (Mickey Rowe)]

 George Engelmann <engelman@cwis.unomaha.edu> writes:

> Vultures, of course can see their next meal and fly right to it. An
> animal on the ground could not do that so it would need a keen sense
> of smell to orient to and localize its food and then walk right to
> it. It wouldn't matter if it took a few days to get there.

Studies of modern vultures suggest that it would make a difference.
Even vultures turn up their noses at animals that have been dead long
enough for the bacteria to start having their fill.  They apparently
greatly prefer animals that have been dead for less than a day, and I
think will avoid animals that have been dead for more than three days.
I'll double check if you really want those figures to be precise...

-- 
Mickey Rowe     (rowe@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu)