White-rumped Vulture
Gyps bengalensis
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-rumped_vulture
Overview
The white-rumped vulture is an Old World vulture native to South and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000, as the population severely declined. White-rumped vultures are threatened by diclofenac poisoning, which kills them by causing kidney failure.
As of 2021, the global population was estimated at less than 6,000 mature individuals. In comparison, during the 1980s, the global population was estimated at several million individuals, and it was thought to be "the most abundant large bird of prey in the world".
The White-rumped Vulture has experienced one of the most catastrophic population declines in avian history, with populations crashing by over 99% since the 1990s. The primary cause is diclofenac poisoning from livestock carcasses, which causes fatal kidney failure in vultures. Additional threats include habitat loss, food scarcity, and secondary poisoning from other veterinary drugs.
Habitat
This vulture builds its nest on tall trees often near human habitations in northern and central India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and southeast Asia, laying one egg. Birds form roost colonies. The population is mostly resident. Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly on carcasses, which it finds by soaring high in thermals and spotting other scavengers. A 19th century experimenter...
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in ACCIPITRIDAE
Threatened in Afghanistan
Frequently asked questions
Why is White-rumped Vulture classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does White-rumped Vulture live?
What are the main threats to White-rumped Vulture?
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