The Rüppell's vulture (Gyps rueppelli) is a bird of prey that can fly for several hours a day. It is native to the Sahel, a strip of Africa that marks a break between the Sahara to the north and the tropical savannah to the south.
The world population now numbers only 22,000 individuals. Protected areas have also been deployed to try to protect this species of bird. The name of this raptor was chosen in homage to Eduard Rueppell, a Prussian naturalist and explorer.