RIYADH: King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has announced the sighting and documentation of a Ruppel’s vulture (Gyps rueppellii) within the boundaries of the reserve — a landmark environmental and historical event.

This is the third officially documented record of the species at national level and the first of its kind in the central and eastern regions of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The sighting carries global significance given the conservation status of the vulture, which is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, following the loss of more than 90 percent of its population throughout its original range in Africa over the past three decades.

The appearance of this rare bird in King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve adds a new entry to the limited record of its sightings in the Kingdom, which began in Aseer region in 1985, followed by a sighting in 2018, and another in AlUla in September 2025. 

Its latest recording in central and eastern Saudi Arabia is considered an important environmental indicator of the quality of natural habitats provided by the reserve.

Globally, Ruppel’s vulture faces major threats, including poisoning from pesticides, electrocution, collisions with power lines, and the loss of nesting sites as a result of urban expansion and land-use change. 

Additional challenges include the decline of carrion resulting from changes in livestock-rearing practices, illegal hunting for use in traditional beliefs, and the adverse effects of climate change on its breeding areas and migratory routes.

The vulture is primarily found in the African Sahel and is considered extremely rare in the Arabian Peninsula. Its sighting in King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve underscores the Kingdom’s leading role in conserving biodiversity and supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 for protecting ecosystems.

It also reflects the success of the authority’s efforts to protect wildlife and restore ecosystems, positioning the reserve as a safe and attractive habitat for rare and native species.