Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Rasmussen, P. C.; Parry, S. J. 2001. The taxonomic status of the "Long-billed" Vulture Gyps indicus. Vulture News 44: 18-21.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| A2ace+4ace | A2ace+4ace | A2ace+4ace; D1 |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Critically Endangered | A2ace+4ace |
| 2016 | Critically Endangered | A2ce+4ce |
| 2015 | Critically Endangered | A2ce+4ce |
| 2013 | Critically Endangered | A2ce+4ce |
| 2012 | Critically Endangered | A2ce+4ce |
| 2010 | Critically Endangered | A2c,e; A4c,e |
| 2009 | Critically Endangered | A2c,e; A4c,e |
| 2008 | Critically Endangered | |
| 2004 | Critically Endangered | |
| 2002 | Critically Endangered | |
| 2000 | Not Recognised | |
| 1994 | Not Recognised | |
| 1988 | Not Recognised |
| Migratory status | not a migrant | Forest dependency | low |
| Land-mass type |
continent |
Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 2,130,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 730-870 mature individuals | medium | estimated | 2015 |
| Population trend | decreasing | medium | estimated | 2011-2047 |
| Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 95-99% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 95-99% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 12.03 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: Considerable confusion over the taxonomy and identification of Gyps vultures has occurred, making it difficult to be sure of the population size. In 2015, the population was estimated to be c.1,000 individuals in India (Prakash et al. 2019; MoEFCC 2020), 47 individuals in Cambodia (Sum & Loveridge 2016), fewer than 50 individuals in Nepal (DNPWC 2015), and a single breeding pair in Bangladesh (MoEF 2016). Very little is known about the size of the population in Myanmar, however counts made at vulture restaurants during 2003-2006 suggest a population of c.21 individuals (Hla et al. 2010). The total population is therefore thought to be c.1,100-1,300 individuals, roughly equating to 730-870 mature individuals.
Trend justification: This species declined across South-East Asia during the 20th century probably as a result of the collapse of wild ungulate populations and, to some degree, persecution. Survey results indicate that declines throughout the Indian Subcontinent probably began in the 1990s and were extremely rapid, resulting in an overall population decline of this species and G. indicus (which were only recognised as separate species in 2001) of greater than 97% over a 10-15 year period (Prakash et al. 2007), equating to 99% over three generations (36.09 years [Bird et al. 2020]). The combined population appeared to be relatively stable from 2003-2011 (Prakash et al. 2012), but declined again during 2011-2015, with a mean rate of decline from 2000-2015 of c.11% per year (Prakash et al. 2019), equating to 98.5% over three generations. In Nepal the species was formerly fairly common and widespread, but during 2002-2011 it declined by 18.7% per year (Chaudhary et al. 2012), equating to >99% over three generations, although there has since been a partial recovery (Galligan et al. 2020; Bhusal et al. 2019). It is now extremely rare in the east of Nepal and local and uncommon in the centre and west (Inskipp et al. 2016). The population in Cambodia, which until recently had remained remained relatively stable (with a steady increase during 2004-2013), declined from 68 to 37 individuals during 2013-2016 (Loveridge et al. 2019), equating to a decline of >99% over three generations.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cambodia | extant | native | yes | |||
| India | extant | native | yes | |||
| Laos | extant | native | yes | |||
| Malaysia | extinct | native | yes | |||
| Myanmar | extant | native | yes | |||
| Nepal | extant | native | yes | |||
| Thailand | extinct | native | yes | |||
| Vietnam | possibly extinct | native | yes |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Urban Areas | suitable | resident |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | resident |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | resident |
| Savanna | Dry | suitable | resident |
| Shrubland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | resident |
| Altitude | 0 - 2000 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Unintentional effects (species is not the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
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| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
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| Other options | Other threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Very Rapid Declines | High Impact: 8 | ||||||
|
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| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents - Herbicides and pesticides | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
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| Transportation & service corridors | Utility & service lines | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/slender-billed-vulture-gyps-tenuirostris on 16/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 16/01/2025.