I Fly High

One of the largest African vulture species, Rüppell’s griffon vultures stand about three feet tall and boast an 8-foot wingspan. Considered to be the world’s highest-flying birds, they routinely fly at an altitude of several miles. In 1973, one Rüppell’s griffon vulture was struck by an airplane at 37,000 feet. They are able to reach these great heights thanks to a specialized blood protein that allows them to fly efficiently despite lower air pressure and available oxygen.

I Fly Far and Fast

These vultures are masters of long-distance travel. They begin to fly when the sun has been up for about two hours, and thermal updrafts start to develop enough lift. They will then spend six or more hours a day flying an average of 22 miles per hour to find food, which they locate by sight. They use slow, powerful wing beats, thermal updrafts and strong winds to conserve energy and soar. They can fly up to 120 mph, and when seeking food will travel over 90 miles from their roost in one day. They have also been known to follow game herds on their seasonal migrations, feeding on leftovers.

I Keep the Environment Healthy

Rüppell’s griffon vultures rarely kill their food, preferring to eat carrion. In doing so, they clean the environment of debris and disease. Without vultures, the environment would be littered with foul-smelling waste. They will eat the prey remains of others or animals who have died due to old age, disease or other causes. Vultures have several adaptations that help make them effective scavengers: a highly acidic stomach to destroy bacteria, a powerful beak to tear flesh, backward-pointing tongue spikes to remove meat from bone, and a feather-less head that is easier to keep clean when feeding.