author(s)
Tahir Karimov

abstract
The study investigates the sanitary roles of scavengers in ecosystems. Twenty pet and 42 wild animal corpses were found in the 22.88 ha Turyanchay State Natural Reserve and its surrounding areas during two months of study (from June to July in 2013). Ten diseases were observed and associated with various causes in 38 of these undecomposed corpses. Out of 38 corpses, 13 were infected with echinococcosis, 9 with rabies, 4 with tuberculosis, 4 with toxoplasmosis, 2 with brucellosis, 2 with adentis eguorum, 1 with distemper, 1 with pasteurellosis, 1 with anthrax and 1 with tularemia. It was determined that scavanger birds prevent the corpses, died from various diseases, from becoming an infection source by eating them (excluding bones) within 1-3 days.