Eurasian Griffon Vulture

The Eurasian Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) is a large vulture with a widespread breeding range, extending across Europe and the Middle East into Asia. The Griffon vulture global population numbers between 80,000 and 900,000 mature individuals. Although the species remains classified globally as Least Concern by the IUCN, its status in Kazakhstan is far more precarious: in 2025, it was added to the national Red Book as a Category I, endangered species.

The IUCN determination is based solely on European data, where populations have experienced an uptick—more than 1/3 increase—after suffering sharp declines in the 20th century. Notable success stories have occurred in Spain, France, and Portugal where populations have increased dramatically, thanks to extensive and multifaceted conservation measures.

Kazakhstan, however, has not shared in this recovery. Precipitous drops in the population in recent years are pushing the raptor toward collapse in the country.

Habitat

The Eurasian Griffon vulture lives in colonies in habitat that meet two primary criteria: (1) availability of cliffs for nesting and (2) abundance of medium-sized or large animals for availability as carrion. The vulture prefers landscapes with hills or mountains, as these support the formation of thermal currents, allowing it to cover great distances while conserving energy.

The species build nests predominantly in small caves, recesses, or on a ledge under a rock, using twigs and dry grass as materials. One egg is laid in March with both parents incubating and feeding the chick.

Threats

Globally, major threats to Griffon vultures are:

ingestion of poisoned baits intended for predatory mammals
electrocution
collisions with wind turbines
food shortages due to changes made in livestock management practices.

Another threat to the raptor’s survival is unintentional poisoning from drugs used in veterinary medicine; specifically, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). These medicines are found in the bodies of domesticated livestock in carrion dumps.

Threats in Kazakhstan

The Griffon vulture was once considered to be a common species in Kazakhstan. However, this assessment may have been misleading, since most solitary birds identified as Eurasian Griffon vultures were, in fact, Himalayan Griffons.

Today, a recent estimate indicates that only a few dozen breeding pairs of Griffons remain in Kazakhstan. Two studies conducted in 2010 and 2022 in the Karatau breeding enclave, where the Eurasian Griffon vulture is the most common, show sharp declines in population. In comparison with the 2010 study, the 2022 study revealed that the number of active nests had decreased by 95 percent and documented individuals by 99 percent. Tragically, all previously known nesting colonies had disappeared by 2022, with the species nesting in single pairs only.

The precise causes of the decline have not yet been fully determined. Possible factors include exposure to vulture-toxic veterinary NSAIDs, both within Kazakhstan’s breeding areas and along migration routes and wintering grounds. Unintentional poisoning from baits set to control predatory mammals may also be contributing to the decline.

Conservation

After years of advocacy by Kazakhstan’s ornithologists, the Eurasian griffon vulture was included in the fifth edition of Kazakhstan’s Red Book, updated in 2025. The species is now classified nationally as Category I, endangered, reflecting the severity of its decline in Kazakhstan.

Some conservation measures are already in place, noted in the Red Book. Griffon vultures are protected within the Karatau and Ustyurt state nature reserves, supplementary feeding sites have been established in Ustyurt, and monitoring has begun in the Syrdarya Karatau Mountains.

Reducing poisoning will be critical to restoring populations in the country. The Red Book recommends banning NSAIDs known to harm vulture populations; specifically, diclofenac, ketoprofen, and flunixin, and replacing them with safer veterinary treatments. This is consistent with international guidance released in 2026. Preventing the use of toxic baits to control wolves and other predators is also important, because scavenging vultures can become unintended victims.

Significant knowledge gaps remain, however. Research is still needed to clarify the species’ distribution across its main habitats in Kazakhstan, while targeted surveys are needed to locate additional nesting colonies. Studies of migration behavior, migration routes, and wintering grounds would further support recovery planning. Better investigation of vulture deaths—including testing for toxic veterinary drugs and other poisons—would also help clarify which threats are driving losses and where conservation action can be most effective.