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Species Profile

White-backed Vulture

(Gyps africanus)

Species Fact Sheet

IUCN Red List StatusCritically EndangeredSource: IUCN 2024
Body SizeLength: 95 cmSource: Sinclair 1994
Nesting HabitatTree topsSource: Fargallo et al 1998

Bibliography

Angelov et al 2024. “Another case of communal breeding in the White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus” Vulture News 86(1): July 2024. https://www.ajol.info...

Asefa et al 2024. "State of Ethiopia’s vertebrate fauna: Implications for implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework" Ethiopian Journal of Science 47(2). https://www.ajol.info...

Asso et al 2024. "Unveiling the Threat to Vulture Diversity: A Comprehensive Ethno‐Ornithological Study Uncovers Regional Trade Effects in Côte d'Ivoire" Ecology and Evolution 14(12). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

Asso et al 2024. “Cultural attitudes and human pressure towards vultures around the Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa)” Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 20. https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com...

Dognimon et al 2025. "Geographic distribution and supply chain of vultures in Benin, West Africa" Conservation Science and Practice: 20 February 2025. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com...

Fargallo et al 1998. “Forest Management Effects on Nesting Habitat Selected by Eurasian Black Vultures (Aegypius monachus) in Central Spain” Journal of Raptor Research 32(3): September 1998. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu...

Fester et al 2024. "Carcass Density, Size and Visibility Do Not Significantly Differ Between Areas With and Without Spotted-Hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta), With Implications for Threatened Vultures" African Journal of Ecology 62. https://www.researchgate.net...

Godino and Machado 2015. “New record of African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) in Europe” Vulture News 68: July 2015. https://www.ajol.info...

Johnson 2018. “Exceptional nest attendance and solo breeding attempt by an African White-backed Vulture” Vulture News 74: July 2018. https://www.ajol.info...

Kenny et al 2015. “Blood lead levels in White-Backed Vultures (Gyps africanus) from Botswana, Africa” Vulture News 68: July 2015. https://www.ajol.info...

Mani et al 2024. "Threats to vultures of Uttar Pradesh: A review" International Journal of Science and Research Archive 13(2). https://www.researchgate.net...

Rast et al 2024. “Death detector: Using vultures as sentinels to detect carcasses by combining bio-logging and machine learning” Journal of Applied Ecology 61(12). https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com...

Sinclair 1994. Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa. Struick Publishers, Cape Town. https://books.google.com...

Zvidzai et al 2024. "Projected Climate Scenarios Reveal an Expanding Suitable Habitat for the Critically Endangered African White-Backed Vulture Gyps africanus" Integrative Conservation 3(4). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com...