Rüppell’s Griffon
The vulture that flies the highest, sometimes at an altitude of more than 10,000 m!
This is a big bird, weighing up to 8 kg, with a wingspan of about 2m50.
Rüppell’s Griffon (from the name of the 19th-century German explorer) is not only an excellent glider (which is the case with vultures in general) but it is the one that flies the highest.
It is even a champion among all birds, rivalled only by certain geese. Mention has been made of a collision, above the Ivory Coast, between a plane and a Rüppell’s Griffon at an altitude of 11,277 m!
Exploiting ascending air streams, Rüppell’s Griffon glide over vast areas, covering hundreds of square kilometres in search of carrion. One of them has been seen as far as 150 km from its nest!
As a social bird, living in colonies, the Rüppell’s Griffon usually nests in mountainous cliffs where it also perches for look-out. Colonies assembling more than 1,000 couples have been observed, with nests built side by side. However the global population is in steep decline and the species is classified as “Threatened”.
An “endangered” species
- Name : Rüppell’s Griffon
- Latin name : Gyps rueppelli
- Origin : West and East Africa
- IUCN status : Endangered
- Cites : Appendix II