Cape vulture facts for kids

The Cape vulture (Gyps coprotheres), also known as the Cape griffon, is a large bird of prey. It belongs to a group called Old World vultures, which are part of the Accipitridae family (a family of birds of prey). These vultures live only in southern Africa. You can find them mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and parts of northern Namibia.

Cape vultures build their nests on high cliffs. They usually lay just one egg each year. This amazing bird was once considered an Endangered animal in 2015. But thanks to conservation efforts, its status improved to Vulnerable in 2021. This happened because some populations grew and became stable around 2016.

Quick facts for kids Cape vulture
De Hoop Nature Reserve in Overberg
A flying cape vulture at the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve in Cradle of Humankind, Gauteng, South Africa
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Gyps
Species:	G. coprotheres
Binomial name
Gyps coprotheres (Forster, 1798)
IUCN range (2021)      Extant      Extant (non-breeding)      Possibly extinct      Extinct
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.
Synonyms
Gyps kolbii

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

Discovering the Cape Vulture

What Does It Look Like?

An illustration of a Cape vulture skeleton from 1904.

This big vulture has a creamy-buff color. Its flight and tail feathers are dark, which makes a nice contrast. Adult vultures are lighter in color than younger ones. Their underwing feathers can appear almost white when seen from far away.

The Cape vulture has a head and neck that are almost bare. Its eyes are yellowish, and its beak is black. Young vultures are generally darker and have more streaks. Their eyes can be brown to orange, and their necks are red. This bird looks a lot like the white-backed vulture. However, the Cape vulture is larger and has yellow eyes.

Size and Unique Features

Adult Cape vultures are about 96 to 115 centimeters long. Their wings can spread out to 2.26 to 2.6 meters wide. They weigh between 7 and 11 kilograms. These birds are among the largest raptors in Africa. Only the lappet-faced vulture is similar in size.

Cape vultures have two bare skin patches at the base of their neck. These patches are also seen on the white-backed vulture. Scientists think they might be like temperature sensors. They could help the vultures find warm air currents called thermals. Thermals help them soar high without using much energy. The Cape vulture is the third largest Old World vulture on average. It is smaller only than the Himalayan griffon vulture and the cinereous vulture.

Where Cape Vultures Live

A Cape vulture egg.

Cape vultures live and breed in Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, and South Africa. Sometimes, they travel to places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. When they do this, they are called "vagrants" because they don't usually live or breed there. They also visit Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini.

These vultures are "obligate scavengers." This means they only eat carrion, which is the meat of dead animals. They eat soft muscles, organ tissues, and even some bone fragments. They search for food in groups. Their excellent eyesight allows them to spot carcasses from very far away. This helps them find food faster than other animals that eat carrion on the ground.

Life and Habits

Reproduction and Nests

Cape vultures usually build their nests and rest on cliff faces. These cliffs are often in or near mountains. They have been found nesting as high as 3,100 meters up. In South Africa's Eastern Cape, they prefer nest sites on ledges that are not too deep and are higher up. They also like to be surrounded by other Cape vultures, which are birds of the same species.

Scientists have tracked individual vultures in Namibia. They found that these birds can travel over huge areas, from 11,800 to 22,500 square kilometers. They also rest on trees and tall electricity pylons. Both young and adult vultures prefer to rest on cliffs close to their colonies. It is thought that they often return to the area where they were born to breed.

Young vultures stay with their parents for about 101 days after they learn to fly. This time is called the post-fledging dependency period. After this period, they become more independent and fly further from the nest. While many populations continue to breed, some have shown declines. For example, a breeding site at Roberts' Farm in Magaliesberg was abandoned in 2013.

Protecting Cape Vultures

Why They Need Our Help

The number of Cape vultures has been decreasing since the 1980s. At that time, they were first listed as a Threatened animal. Between 1992 and 2007, their numbers dropped by 60-70% in South Africa alone. By 2021, there were an estimated 9,600 to 12,800 adult Cape vultures. They are currently listed as Vulnerable.

Several things threaten the Cape vulture. One major problem is a lack of large dead animals to eat, especially when they are nesting. Another issue is accidental harm from chemicals. Losing places to find food and being hunted for traditional beliefs are also big concerns.

Harmful Substances and Other Dangers

One specific danger to vultures comes from a medicine called Diclofenac. This medicine is used to treat cattle for problems like arthritis. If vultures eat the meat of cattle treated with Diclofenac, it can cause kidney failure and harm them.

Another common cause of death for these birds is hitting power lines. They can also be harmed by electrocution from electricity pylons.

Climate Change and Future Protection

Climate change is also a threat to Cape vultures. Higher temperatures and global warming have caused their populations to decrease. More needs to be done to change laws to better protect these birds. Many laws in South Africa are only for specific regions. If all vulture species were given 'Specially Protected' status, it would help their numbers grow.

Vultures and Communities

It is important to solve problems between humans and wildlife. Farmers need to understand the dangers of using harmful substances. In Namibia, a small number of farmers (1.7%) admitted to using such substances in 2015. In Kenya, over 20% of farmers used harmful substances to get rid of predators. Many of them did not know about the Kenya Wildlife Act.

Because of this, awareness campaigns have been suggested. These campaigns would teach people about the dangers of using harmful substances. Also, a mix of new laws and community efforts, like building safe enclosures for livestock or offering help to farmers, is expected to reduce these problems.