Sunset Griffon Vultures

Sunset Griffon Vultures. Three Griffon vultures silhouetted against the setting sun while one takes flight against a bright orange sky. Jorbeer vulture sanctuary, Rajasthan, India.

Jorbeer is a government-approved carcass dumping ground where farmers can bring dead cattle. This cow graveyard makes for macabre views and an overpowering stench (not the most pleasant location I’ve visited!) but attracts an astounding variety of raptors, including seven species of vulture!

Bird of Prey populations have decreased dramatically in recent years, many species are now endangered. This decline in numbers is largely due to poisoning when they unknowingly feed on carcasses that are full of harmful chemicals and lead.

Sunset Griffon Vultures – About the Griffon vulture:

The griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) is a large Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, also known as the Eurasian griffon. Griffons are primarily scavengers, feeding mostly on the carcasses of deceased animals which they locate by soaring high over open areas. They establish nesting colonies in well protected cliffs and crags in southern Europe, north Africa, and Asia. 

You can find out more about Griffon vultures here.