Take Lewis Under Your Wing!

International Vulture Awareness Day is September 5th, 2026

Lewis (pictured above) is a male Turkey Vulture who arrived at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in the summer of 2014. He was found in southern Utah with a broken wing that had healed incorrectly, leaving him unable to survive in the wild. Lewis has stayed true to the gregarious nature of his species and at times, he can be seen “performing” for visitors showing off his personality and giving guests a memorable opportunity to connect with one of nature’s most important—and often misunderstood—scavengers.

Turkey Vultures have one of the most highly developed senses of smell among birds, allowing them to detect the scent of carrion from as far as a mile away. As scavengers, they feed primarily on animals that have already died, playing an essential role in nature’s cleanup crew. In spite of their unusual diet, Turkey Vultures are peaceful, highly social, and remarkably clean birds. They tend to avoid conflict rather than confront it and are known for their curious and sociable personalities.