Built myself a canoe and went on a journey essentially across the map. Along the way, I tamed a few vultures. Only kept one, who I named Squash. At some point a sarco catches up to me and starts attacking me, so in a panic I row up to a tiny landmass and exit the canoe. I am promptly munched by the croc. I didn't bother to go get my stuff since the sarco would probably still be there. As one does, I mourned the loss of my little rat bird Squash. Much later, I tame up a ptera. Fly over to where I died. Not only is the canoe intact, but Squash is alive. Check his inventory and he has sarco skin. Never owned a vulture before this, so I was shocked. I take Squash with me everywhere now and I hope he never dies.

Long live Squash.