State of Africa’s Birds
STATE: What we know about the changing state of birds
More bird species are becoming threatened Vulture declines in Africa Today, Africa’s vultures are disappearing at a devastating rate. Assessment of vulture declines over 30 years showed that populations of seven African vulture species have fallen by 80-97% (over 92% in five species) in the last three generations. The need for action to reverse the decline of Africa’s vultures is urgent. The ecological effects are already being felt today across the continent. In the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, vulture numbers have plummeted by over 60% in just a couple of decades; and in parts of West Africa, vulture populations have declined by over 97% outside protected areas. Four African vulture species – Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus, White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus, Rüppell’s Vulture Gyps rueppelli and Whiteheaded Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis – were uplisted to Critically Endangered in the 2015 IUCN Red List, indicating that if no immediate action is taken, they may become extinct within our lifetime.
Site of poisoned vultures and elephant carcass
(PHOTO: ©Hugo van der Westhuizen)
SPECIES 2017 IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY White-headed Vulture
Critically Endangered
Hooded Vulture
Critically Endangered
White-backed Vulture
Critically Endangered
Rüppell’s Vulture
Critically Endangered
Egyptian Vulture
Endangered
Cape Vulture
Endangered
Lappet-faced Vulture
Endangered
Bearded Vulture
Near Threatened
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus
Near Threatened
Griffon Vulture
Least Concern
Palm-nut Vulture
Least Concern
Trigonoceps occipitalis Necrosyrtes monachus
Gyps africanus Gyps rueppelli
Neophron percnopterus Gyps coprotheres Torgos tracheliotos Gypaetus barbatus
Gyps fulvus
Gypohierax angolensis
White-backed Vultures eating a dead wildebeest.
(PHOTO: ©Magnus Kjaergaard)
Fig 6. Africa’s Vultures and their IUCN Red List status SOURCE Africa’s Vultures and their IUCN Red List status.
10
White-headed Vulture, one of the species uplisted to Critically Endangered. (PHOTO: ©Klaus Rudloff)
