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Cinereous vulture
Aegypius monachus

As per IUCN Redlist the global population of this vulture species ranges from 16,800-22,800 mature individuals

Distribution

The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus), one of the largest raptors in the world, has a broad but fragmented distribution across parts of southern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and East Asia. It breeds in mountainous and forested regions of Spain, Turkey, the Caucasus, Mongolia, and northern China, nesting mainly on large trees or cliffs. Populations in the western range, such as Spain, are largely resident, while those in Central and East Asia are more migratory, moving southwards in winter to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Korea. This seasonal movement is driven by harsh winters and food scarcity in breeding areas, while during the breeding season, the species is closely tied to undisturbed habitats that provide suitable nesting sites and access to carrion.

Threats

The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus), listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, faces multiple threats across its range. The most serious is poisoning, particularly from veterinary drugs such as diclofenac, aceclofenac, and ketoprofen, which cause fatal kidney failure when vultures consume treated livestock carcasses. Despite bans, misuse of these drugs continues in parts of Asia, posing a significant risk. Poison-laced baits set out to kill predators also kill vultures in large numbers. Additional threats include electrocution and collisions with powerlines, habitat loss from deforestation and human disturbance, food shortages due to changes in livestock management, and direct persecution.