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 Arusha National Park, based on 11 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Arusha National Park
White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
Augur Buzzard
Buteo augur
Crowned Eagle
Stephanoaetus coronatus
Mountain Buzzard
Buteo oreophilus
African Harrier-Hawk
Polyboroides typus
African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
Long-crested Eagle
Lophaetus occipitalis
Martial Eagle
Polemaetus bellicosus
Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo
Palmnut Vulture
Gypohierax angolensis
Tawny Eagle
Aquila rapax
African Cuckoo-Hawk
Aviceda cuculoides
📅 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 Arusha National Park?
About 2% of wildlife watchers report a Ruppell's griffon sighting in Arusha National Park, based on 11 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Ruppell's griffon in Arusha National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Ruppell's griffon in Arusha National Park in our monthly data.