Seasonal variation in breeding Rüppell’s Vultures Gyps rueppellii at Kwenia, southern Kenya and implications for conservation

Abstract

SummaryVulture populations have been declining globally and regionally within Africa. Rüppell’s Vulture Gyps rueppellii is currently listed as ‘Near Threatened’ and numbers of the species, along with African White-backed Vultures G. africanus, have declined by 52% in and around the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. A large breeding colony of Rüppell’s Vulture at Kwenia, southern Kenya, was monitored between 2002 and 2009. Around 150–200 adults were present on each visit, with up to 64 simultaneously active nests. The date of egg-laying differed considerably between years, with two discrete breeding attempts in some years. Nests were not positioned randomly across the cliff face and the number of active nests was related to rainfall in the previous year. The large ungulate migration of the Mara-Serengeti provides a vital foraging ground for the species. Conservation implications of the loss of vultures are discussed.