Data Zone
Anon. 2003. Vulture death mystery explained? The Babbler: BirdLife in Indochina 2(2): 7.
Anon. 2008. Local increase in vultures thanks to diclofenac campaign in Nepal. Buceros 13(2): 5.
Arshad, M.; Chaudhary, M. J. I.; Wink, M. 2009. High mortality and sex ratio imbalance in a critically declining Oriental White-backed Vulture population (Gyps bengalensis). Journal of Ornithology 150(2): 495-503.
Baral, N.; Gautam, R.; Tamang, B. 2005. Population status and breeding ecology of White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis in Rampur Valley, Nepal. Forktail 21: 87-91.
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.
BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.
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.
Bombay Natural History Society. 2004. Report of the International South Asian Vulture Recovery Plan Workshop. Buceros: 1-48.
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.
Bowden, C.G.R., Prakash, V., Ranade, S., Routh, A., Jakati, R.D., Cuthbert, R.J., Rahmani, A.R., Green, R.E., Prakash and N., Parry-Jones, J. 2012. Conservation breeding for the future release of the Critically Endangered Asian Gyps vultures – Progress of the programme in South Asia and why it is so important. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 109(1&2): 43-45.
Chaudhary, A., Chaudhary, D. B., Baral, H. S., Cuthbert, R., Chaudhary, I. and Nepali, Y. B. 2010. Influence of safe feeding site on vultures and their nest numbers at Vulture Safe Zone, Nawalparasi. Proceedings of the First National Youth Conference on Environment: 1-6. Kathmandu.
Chaudhary, A., Subedi, T. S., Giri, J. B., Baral, H. S., Chaudhary, I., Paudel, K. and Cuthbert, R. J. 2012. Population trends of critically endangered Gyps vultures in the lowlands of Nepal. Bird Conservation International doi:10.1017/S0959270911000426.
Clements, T., Gilbert, M., Rainey, H.J., Cuthbert, R., Eames, J.C., Bunnat, P., Teak, S., Chansocheat, S. and Setha, T. 2013. Vultures in Cambodia: population, threats and conservation. Bird Conservation International 23 : 7-24.
Cuthbert R. J., Prakash, V., Saini, M., Upreti, S., Swarup, D., Sharma, A. K., Das, A., Green, R. E. and Taggart, M. 2011a. Are conservation actions reducing the threat to India’s vulture populations? Current Science 101: 1480-1481.
Cuthbert, R. J., Dave, R., Chakraborty, S. S., Kumar, S., Prakash, S., Ranade, S. P. and Prakash, V. 2011b. Assessing the ongoing threat from veterinary NSAIDs to critically endangered Gyps vultures in India. Oryx 45: 420-426.
Cuthbert, R., Taggart, M. A., Prakash, V., Saini, M., Swarup, D., Mateo, R., Chakraborty, S. S., Deori, P. and Green, R. 2011c. Effectiveness of Action in India to Reduce Exposure of Gyps Vultures to the Toxic Veterinary Drug Diclofenac. PLoS One 6(5): e19069. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019069.
Cuthbert, R.J., Taggart, M.A., Saini, M., Sharma, A., Das, A., Kulkarni, M.D., Deori, P., Ranade, S., Shringarpure, R.N., Galligan, T.H. & Green, R.E. 2016. Continuing mortality of vultures in India associated with illegal veterinary use of diclofenac and a potential threat from nimesulide. Oryx 50: 104-112.
DNPWC. 2015. Vulture Conservation Action Plan for Nepal (2015—2019). Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu.
DNPWC. 2015. Vulture Conservation Action Plan for Nepal (2015—2019). Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu.
Eames, J. C. 2007. Cambodian national vulture census 2007. The Babbler: BirdLife in Indochina: 33-34.
Eames, J. C. 2007. Mega transect counts vultures across Myanmar. The Babbler: BirdLife in Indochina: 30.
Ellis, C. 2004. Of Gyps vultures, gypsies and satellite technology. Peregrine Fund Newsletter no 35: 14-15.
Galligan, T. 2013. Good news for vulture conservation in South Asia. BirdingASIA 19: 107-108.
Galligan, T. H., Bhusal, K. P., Paudel, K., Chapagain, D., Joshi, A. B., Chaudhary, I. P., Chaudhary, A., Baral, H. S., Cuthbert, R. J. and Green, R. E. 2020. Partial recovery of Critically Endangered Gyps vulture populations in Nepal. Bird Conservation International 30(1): 87-102.
Galligan, T. H.; Taggart, M. A.; Cuthbert, R. J.; Svobodova, D.; Chipangura, J.; Alderson, D.; Prakash, V. M.; Naidoo, V. 2016. Metabolism of aceclofenac in cattle to vulture-killing diclofenac. Conservation Biology 30(5): 1122-1127.
Gautam, R.; Tamang, B.;Baral, N. 2003. Ecological studies on White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis in Rampur valley, Palpa, Nepal.
Gilbert, M.; Watson, R. T.; Virani, M. Z.; Oaks, J. L.; Ahmed, S.; Chaudhry, M. J. I.; Arshad, M.; Mahmood, S.; Ali, A.; Khan, A. A. 2006. Rapid population declines and mortality clusters in three Oriental White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis colonies in Pakistan due to diclofenac poisoning. Oryx 40(4): 388-399.
Green, R.E.; Newton, I.; Shultz, S.; Cunningham, A. A.; Gilbert, M.; Pain, D.J.; Prakash, V. 2004. Diclofenac poisoning as a cause of vulture population declines across the Indian subcontinent. Journal of Applied Ecology 41: 793-800.
Hance, I. 2009. Seven White-rumped Vultures found dead in Cambodia. The Babbler: BirdLife in Indochina: 14.
Hille, S. M.; Korner-Nievergelt, F.; Bleeker, M.; Collar, N. J. 2016. Foraging behaviour at carcasses in an Asian vulture assemblage: towards a good restaurant guide. Bird Conservation International 26(3): 263-272.
Hla, H.T. 2003. Preliminary investigation of White-rumped Vultures (Gyps bengalensis) in Southern Shan states Myanmar.
Hla, H.T., Shwe, N.M., Htun, T.W., Zaw, S.M., Mahood, S., Eames, J.C. and Pilgrim, J. 2011. Historical and current status of vultures in Myanmar. Bird Conservation International 21: 376-387.
Houston, D. C. 1985. Indian White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis). In: Newton, I.; Chancellor, R. D. (ed.), Conservation studies of raptors, pp. 456-466. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K.
IUCN-Bangladesh. 2016. White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) conservation in Bangladesh project. Progress report (Feb-Apr 2016). Submitted to Bangladesh Forest Department, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
IUCN. 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-3. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 09 December 2021).
Johnson, J. A.; Gilbert, M.; Virani, M. Z.; Asim, M.; Mindell, D. P. 2008. Temporal genetic analysis of the critically endangered oriental White-backed Vulture in Pakistan. Biological Conservation 141(9): 2403-2409.
Khan, M.M.H. 2013. Population, breeding and threats to the White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis in Bangladesh. Forktail 29(52-56).
Loveridge, R., Ryan, G. E., Sum, P., Grey-Read, O., Mahood, S. P., Mould, A., Harrison, S., Crouthers, R., Ko, S., Clements, T., Eames, J. C. and Pruvot, M. 2019. Poisoning causing the decline in South-East Asia’s largest vulture population. Bird Conservation International 29: 41-54.
Masphal, K.; Vorsak, B. 2007. Vulture restaurants across Cambodia. The Babbler: BirdLife in Indochina: 24.
MoEF. 2016. Bangladesh Vulture Conservation Action Plan 2016-2025. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
MoEFCC. 2020. Action Plan for Vulture Conservation in India, 2020-2025. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.
Mukherjee, A., Galligan, T.H., Prakash, V., Paudel, K., Khan, U., Prakash, S., Ranade, S., Shastri, K., Dave, R., Donald, P. and Bowden, C. 2014. Vulture Safe Zones to save Gyps Vultures in South Asia. Mistnet 15(3): 4-9.
Murn, C.; Khan, U.; Farid, F. 2008. Vulture populations in Pakistan and the Gyps vulture restoration project. Vulture News: 35-43.
Murn, C.; Saeed, U.; Khan, U.; Iqbal, S. 2014. Population and spatial breeding dynamics of a Critically Endangered Oriental White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis colony in Sindh Province, Pakistan. Bird Conservation International 25(4): 415-425.
Naidoo, V.; Wolter, K.; Cromarty, D.; Diekmann, M.; Duncan, N.; Meharg, A. A.; Taggart, M. A.; Venter, L.; Cuthbert, R. 2010. Toxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to Gyps vultures: a new threat from ketoprofen. Biology Letters 6(3): 339-341.
Oaks, J. L.; Gilbert, M.; Virani, M. Z.; Watson, R. T.; Meteyer, C. U.; Rideout, B. A.; Shivaprasad, H. L.; Ahmed, S.; Chaudhry, M.J. I.; Arshad, M.; Mahmood, S.; Ali, A.; Khan, A. A. 2004a. Diclofenac residues as the cause of vulture population decline in Pakistan. Nature 427(6975): 630-633.
Oaks, J. L.; Meteyer, C. U.; Rideout, B. A.; Shivaprasad, H. L.; Gilbert, M.; Virani, M. Z.; Watson, R. T.; Khan, A. A. 2004b. Diagnostic investigation of vulture mortality: the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac is associated with visceral gout. Falco: 13-14.
Pain, D. J.; Bowden, C. G. R.; Cunningham, A. A.; Cuthbert, R.; Das, D.; Gilbert, M.; Jakati, R. D.; Jhala, Y.; Khan, A. A.; Naidoo, V.; Oaks, J. L.; Parry-Jones, J.; Prakash, V.; Rahmani, A.; Ranade, S. P.; Baral, H. S.; Senacha, K. R.; Saravanan, S. 2008. The race to prevent the extinction of South Asian vultures. Bird Conservation International 18: S30-S48.
Paudel, S. 2008. Vanishing vultures and diclofenac prevalence in Lumbini IBA. Danphe 17(2): 1-3.
Poharkar, A.; Reddy, P. A.; Gadge, V. A.; Kolte, S.; Nurkure, N.; Shivaji, S. 2009. Is malaria the cause for decline of the Indian White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)? Current Science 96(4): 553-558.
Prakash, V., Bishwakarma, M.C., Chaudhary, A., Cuthbert, R., Dave, R., Kulkarni, M., Kumar, S., Paudel, K., Ranade, S., Shringarpure, R. and Green, R.E. 2012. The Population Decline of Gyps Vultures in India and Nepal Has Slowed since Veterinary Use of Diclofenac was Banned. PLoS One 7(11).
Prakash, V., Galligan, T. H., Chakraborty, S. S., Dave, R., Kulkarni, M. D., Prakash, N., Shringarpure, R. N., Ranade, S. P. and Green, R. E. 2019. Recent changes in populations of Critically Endangered Gyps vultures in India. Bird Conservation International 29: 55-70.
Prakash, V.; Green, R. E.; Pain, D. J.; Ranade, S. P.; Saravanan, S.; Prakash, N. 2007. Recent changes in populations of resident Gyps vultures in India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 104(2): 127-133.
Prakash, V.; Pain, D. J.; Cunningham, A. A.; Donald, P. F.; Prakash, N.; Verma, A.; Gargi, R.; Sivakumar, S.; Rahmani, A. R. 2003. Catastrophic collapse of Indian white-backed Gyps bengalensis and long-billed Gyps indicus vulture populations. Biological Conservation 109: 381-390.
SAVE. 2014. A Blueprint for the Recovery of South Asia’s Critically Endangered Gyps Vultures.
SAVE. 2015. Report of the 5th annual meeting of Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction.
SAVE. 2018. First release of captive-bred* vultures in Asia. Available at: https://save-vultures.org/2018/09/september-2018-first-release-of-captive-bred-vultures-in-asia/. (Accessed: 07/07/2021).
Shultz, S.; Baral, H.S.; Charman, S.; Cunningham, A. A.; Das, D.; Ghalasi, G. R.; Goudar, M.S.; Green, R.E.; Jones, A.; Nighot, P.; Pain, D.J.; Prakash, V. 2004. Diclofenac poisoning is widespread in declining vulture populations across the Indian subcontinent. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 271: S458-S460.
Sum, P.; Loveridge, R. 2016. Cambodia vulture action plan 2016-2025. Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Swan, G., Naidoo, V., Cuthbert, R., Green, R.E., Pain, D.J., Swarup, D., Prakash, V., Taggart, M., Bekker, L., Das, D., Diekmann, J., Diekmann, M., Killian, E., Meharg, A., Chandra Patra, R., Saini, M. and Wolter, K. 2006a. Removing the threat of diclofenac to critically endangered Asian vultures. PLoS Biology 4(3): 395-402.
Swan, G.E.; Cuthbert, R.; Quevedo, M.; Green, R.E.; Pain, D.J.; Bartels, P.; Cunningham, A. A.; Duncan, N.; Meharg, A. A.; Oaks, J. L.; Parry-Jones, J.; Taggart, M. A.; Verdoorn, G.; Wolter, K. 2006b. Toxicity of diclofenac to Gyps vultures. Biology Letters: 279-282.
Swarup, D.; Patra, R. C.; Prakash, V.; Cuthbert, R.; Das, D.; Avari, P.; Pain, D. J.; Green, R. E.; Sharma, A. K.; Saini, M.; Das, D.; Taggart, M. 2007. Safety of meloxicam to critically endangered Gyps vultures and other scavenging birds in India. Animal Conservation 10(2): 192-198.
Taggart, M. A.; Senacha, K.; Green, R. E.; Cuthbert, R.; Jhala, Y. V.; Meharg,A. A.; Mateo, R; Pain, D. J. 2009. Analysis of nine NSAIDs in ungulate tissues available to critically endangered vultures in India. Environmental Science and Technology 43: 4561-4566.
Thakur, M. L. 2015. Breeding ecology and distribution of Whiterumped Vultures (Gyps bengalensis) in Himachal Pradesh, India. J. Raptor Research 49(2): 183-191.
Venkitachalam, R.; Senthilnathan, S. 2016. Status and population of vultures in Moyar Valley, southern India. J. Threatened Taxa 8: 8358-8364.
Wildlife Trust of India. 2019. Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC). Available at: https://www.wti.org.in/projects/centre-for-wildlife-rehabilitation-and-conservation-cwrc/. (Accessed: 11/08/2021).
Zorrilla, I., Martinez, R., Taggart, M.A. and Richards, N. 2015. Suspected flunixin poisoning of a wild Eurasian Griffon Vulture from Spain. Conservation Biology 29(2): 587-592.
IUCN SSC Vulture Specialist Group
Cambodia Vulture Conservation Action Plan
Search for photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Macaulay Library
The Peregrine Fund - Asian Vulture Population Project
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-rumped-vulture-gyps-bengalensis on 23/12/2024.
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 23/12/2024.