Vultures are uniquely adapted to eating carrion, including bones and hooves. Their extremely strong stomach acid, with a pH of less than 1, can break down even hard bones and destroy most dangerous bacteria, such as Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax. In this way, they prevent the spread of disease in nature and play an indispensable role as natural “scavengers” – eliminating dead animals before they can become a source of infection for other species.