Vader is a female turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). She was illegally shot in the wing and can't fly well enough to be released. She was found injured in Pruntytown, WV, near Grafton in Taylor County. Vader shares an enclosure with Maverick the black vulture, and the two of them enjoy engaging with enrichment items such as puzzle feeders. Vader also often sits along the enclosure divider near Boris, another female turkey vulture. Turkey vultures are obligate scavengers, eating a diet of carrion, or dead animals. At the ACCA, Vader eats a variety of dead rats, mice, quail, and fish. Her favorite treat is a hard-boiled chicken egg.
