One of the 6 old world vultures on WAnimals
Birds · Accipitriformes · Accipitridae
White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild.
The white-backed vulture was until recently the most abundant vulture in Africa and is now critically endangered: its population has fallen by more than 90% in three generations. The main cause is poisoning, both that aimed at carnivores by herders and that used deliberately by poachers to kill vultures. A single poisoned carcass can kill more than a hundred birds within hours.
Weight
4.2 kg – 7.2 kg
Size
78 cm – 98 cm
Life expectancy
30 years
