Ruppell's griffon
Gyps rueppellii
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAccipitriformes
- FamilyAccipitridae (Accipítrids)
- GenusGyps (Griffon Vultures)
- SpeciesGyps rueppellii (Ruppell's griffon)
Rüppell's vulture (Gyps rueppelli), also called Rüppell's griffon vulture or Rüppell's griffon, a species of vulture named after Eduard Rüppell, is a large, resident bird of prey, mainly native to the Sahel region and East Africa. It is considered to be the highest-flying bird, with confirmed evidence of a flight at an altitude of 11,300 m (37,000 ft), where the average temperature is about −56 °C (−69 °F). The former population of 22,000 individuals has been decreasing due to loss of habitat, incidental poisoning, and other factors. It is therefore listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a Ruppell's griffon sighting in Akagera National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Akagera National Park
White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
Bateleur
Terathopius ecaudatus
Long-crested Eagle
Lophaetus occipitalis
Black-winged Kite
Elanus caeruleus
Palmnut Vulture
Gypohierax angolensis
Brown Snake Eagle
Circaetus cinereus
African Harrier-Hawk
Polyboroides typus
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
African Marsh-Harrier
Circus ranivorus
Tawny Eagle
Aquila rapax
Augur Buzzard
Buteo augur
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Ruppell's griffon in Akagera National Park?
About 2% of wildlife watchers report a Ruppell's griffon sighting in Akagera National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Ruppell's griffon in Akagera National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Ruppell's griffon in Akagera National Park in our monthly data.