Data Zone
Allan, D. G. 2015. White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus. In: Taylor, M. R.; Peacock, D.; Wanless, R. M. (ed.), The 2015 Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, pp. 61-66. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Anon. 2013. Birdlife Botswana launches campaign following poisoning of 1000 vultures. Available at: http://minetravel.co.bw/tourism/2013/09/05/birdlife-botswana-launches-campaign-following-poisoning-of-1000-vultures/. (Accessed: 24/09/2015).
Bamford, A.J.; Monadjem, A.; Hardy, I.C.W. 2009. Nesting habitat preference of the African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus and the effects of anthopogenic disturbance. Ibis 151(1): 51-62.
Bird, J.P., Martin, R., Akçakaya, H.R., Gilroy, J., Burfield, I.J., Garnett, S.G., Symes, A., Taylor, J., Şekercioğlu, Ç.H. and Butchart, S.H.M. 2020. Generation lengths of the world’s birds and their implications for extinction risk. Conservation Biology 34(5): 1252-1261. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13486.
BirdGuides. 2019. Catastrophic vulture poisoning in Botswana 'one of biggest ever'. Available at: https://www.birdguides.com/news/catastrophic-vulture-poisoning-in-botswana-one-of-biggest-ever/.
BirdLife Botswana. 2008. The Status of Globally and Nationally Threatened Birds in Botswana.
BirdLife International. 2008. Drugs firms told to do more to prevent vulture extinctions. Available at: http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2008/08/indian_drug_announcemment.html.
Botha, A.J.; Andevski, J.; Bowden, C.G.R.; Gudka, M.; Safford, R.J.; Tavares, J.; Williams, N. P. 2017. Multi-species Action Plan to Conserve African-Eurasian Vultures. MS Raptors MOU Technical Publication No. 5. CMS Technical Series No. xx. Coordinating Unit of the CMS Raptors MOU, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Available at: http://www.cms.int/sites/default/files/document/cms_cop12_doc.24.1.4_annex3_vulture-msap_e.pdf.
Brown, C.J.; Simmons, R.E. 2015. White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus. In: Simmons, R.E.; Brown, C.J.; Kemper, J. (ed.), Birds to watch in Namibia: Red, rare and endemic species, pp. 102-105. Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia Nature Foundation.
Buij, R.; Nikolaus, G.; Whytock, R.; Ingram, D.J.; Ogada, D. 2016. Trade of threatened vultures and other raptors for fetish and bushmeat in West and Central Africa. Oryx 50(4): 606-616.
Craig, C. A., Thomson, R. L. and Santangeli, A. 2018. Communal farmers of Namibia appreciate vultures and the ecosystem services they provide. Ostrich 89(3): 211-220.
de Swardt, D.H. 2013. White-backed Vultures nesting on electricity pylons in the Boshof area, Free State, South Africa. Vulture News 65: 48.
Dowsett-Lemaire, F. and Dowsett, R.J. 2014. The Birds of Ghana: An Atlas and Handbook. Tauraco Press, Liège, Belgium.
Garbett, R.; Maude, G.; Hancock, P.; Kenny, D.; Reading, R.; Amar, A. 2018. Association between hunting and elevated blood lead levels in the critically endangered African white-backed vulture Gyps africanus. Science of the Total Environment 630: 1654-1665.
Global Raptor Information Network. 2015. Species account: White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus . Available at: http://www.globalraptors.org/. (Accessed: 5 Jul 2021).
Groom, R.J.; Gandiwa, E.; van der Westhuizen, H.J. 2013. A mass poisoning of White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures in Gonarezhou National Park. Honeyguide 59(1): 5-9.
IUCN. 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-3. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 09 December 2021).
Kendall, C. J., Rubenstein, D. I., Slater, P. L. and Monadjem, A. 2017. An assessment of tree availability as a possible cause of population declines in scavenging raptors. Journal of Avian Biology 48: 1-8.
Kendall, C.; Virani, M. 2012. Assessing mortality of african vultures using wing tags and GSM-GPS transmitters. Journal of Raptor Research.
McKean, S.; Botha, A. 2007. Traditional medicine demand threatens vultures in Southern Africa.
McKean, S.; Mander, M.; Diederichs, N.; Ntuli, L.; Mavundla, K.; Williams, V.; Wakelin, J. 2013. The impact of traditional use on vultures in South Africa. Vulture News 65: 15-36.
Mundy, P.; Butchart, D.; Ledger, J.; Piper, S. 1992. The vultures of Africa. Academic Press, London.
Murn, C., Botha, A. and Wilson, B. 2017. The changing sizes of critically endangered White-backed Vulture breeding colonies around Kimberley, South Africa. African Journal of Wildlife Research 47(2): 144-148.
Murn, C.; Botha, A. 2018. A clear and present danger: Impacts of poisoning on a vulture population and the effect of poison response activities. Oryx 52(3): 552-558.
Naidoo, V.; Wolter, K.; Botha, C.J. 2017. Lead ingestion as a potential contributing factor to the decline in vulture populations in southern Africa. Environmental Research 152: 150-156.
Nikolaus, G. 2006. Commentary: where have the African vultures gone? Vulture News: 65-67.
Ogada, D.; Botha, A.; Shaw, P. 2016. Ivory poachers and poison: Drivers of Africa's declining vulture populations. Oryx 50(4): 593-596.
Ogada, D.; Keesing, F. 2010. Decline of raptors over a three-year period in Laikipia, central Kenya. Journal of Raptor Research 44: 129-135.
Ogada, D.; Shaw, P.; Beyers, R.L.; Buij, R.; Murn, C.; Thiollay, J.M.; Beale, C.M.; Holdo, R.M.; Pomeroy, D.; Baker, N.; Krüger, S.C.; Botha, A.; Virani, M.Z.; Monadjem, A.; Sinclair, A.R.E. 2016. Another continental vulture crisis: Africa’s vultures collapsing toward extinction. Conservation Letters 9: 89-97.
Otieno, P.O.; Lalah, J.O.; Virani, M., Jondiko, I.O.; Schramm, K. 2010. Carbofuran and its toxic metabolites provide forensic evidence for Furadan exposure in vultures (Gyps africanus) in Kenya. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 84: 536-544.
Pomeroy, D., Shaw, P., Opige, M., Kaphu, G., Ogada, D. L. and Virani, M. Z. 2015. Vulture populations in Uganda: using road survey data to measure both densities and encounter rates within protected and unprotected areas. Bird Conservation International 25: 399-414.
Pomeroy, D.; Kaphub, G.; Nalwangac, D.; Ssemmandad, R.; Lotukb, B.; Opetob, A.; Matsikob, M. 2012. Counting vultures at provisioned carcasses in Uganda. Vulture News 62: 25-32.
Roxburgh, L.; McDougall, R. 2012. Vulture poisoning incidents and the status of vultures in Zambia and Malawi. Vulture News 62: 33-39.
Shema, S. 2019. Current status of diurnal breeding raptors in the greater Athi-Kaputiei Ecosystem, southern Kenya: an assessment of abundance, distribution and key areas in need of conservation. Scopus 39(1): 44-59.
SSC. 2018. The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Quarterly Report. March 2018.
Thiollay, J.-M. 2006. Severe declines of large birds in the northern Sahel of West Africa: a long-term assessment. Bird Conservation International 16(4): 353-365.
Thorley, J. B. & Clutton-Brock, T. 2017. Kalahari vulture declines, through the eyes of meerkats. Ostrich 88(2): 177-181.
Virani, M.; Kendall, C.; Njoroge, P.; Thomsett, S. 2011. Major declines in the abundance of vultures and other scavenging raptors in and around the Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya. Biological Conservation 144: 746-752.
WCS. 2016. Nationally Threatened Species for Uganda.
Western, D.; Russell, S.; Cuthill, I. 2009. The Status of Wildlife in Protected Areas Compared to Non-Protected Areas of Kenya. PLoS One 4(7): e6140.
Woodford, M. H., Bowden, C. G. R. & Shah, N. 2008. Diclofenac in Asia and Africa – repeating the same mistake? Harmonisation and improvement of registration and quality control of Veterinary Medicinal Products in Africa. OIE World Organisation for Animal Health, Paris.
Woodford, M.H.; Bowden, C.G.R.; Shah, N. 2008. Diclofenac in Asia and Africa – repeating the same mistake? Harmonisation and improvement of registration and quality control of Veterinary Medicinal Products in Africa - OIE World Organisation for Animal Health.
IUCN SSC Vulture Specialist Group
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-backed-vulture-gyps-africanus on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.