Quick Facts
Facts sourced from Wikidata (CC0).
Conservation Status
Conservation hubFaces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
The hooded vulture faces severe threats from poisoning, both intentional and accidental, as well as habitat loss and electrocution from power lines. While specific recovery programs are still developing, conservation efforts focus on reducing poisoning incidents and protecting key foraging areas. Responsible safari tourism plays a vital role by funding anti-poaching patrols and providing economic incentives for local communities to protect wildlife and their habitats, including these important scavengers.
The hooded vulture is an Old World vulture in the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Necrosyrtes, which is sister to the larger Gyps genus, both of which are a part of the Aegypiinae subfamily of Old World vultures. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it has a widespread distribution with populations in southern, East and West Africa. It is a scruffy-looking, small vulture with dark brown plumage, a long thin bill, bare crown, face and fore-neck, and a downy nape and hind-neck. Its face is usually a light red colour. It typically scavenges on carcasses of wildlife and domestic animals. Although it remains a common species with a stable population in the lower region of Casamance, some areas of The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, other regions such as Dakar, Senegal, show more than 85% losses in population over the last 50 years. Threats include poisoning, hunting, loss of habitat and collisions with electricity infrastructure, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "critically endangered" in their latest assessment (2022). The highest current regional density of hooded vultures is in the western region of The Gambia.
Description adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to Find
Top parks for Hooded Vulture. Sightings recorded in 200 safari areas total.
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