The pale bill helps distinguish this bird from the more common White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus). Rueppell's was classified as "near threatened" because of precipitous declines over much of its range, and was upgraded in 2012 to "endangered" because of continued serious declines. It reaches the southern limit of its range in Tanzania where the main threat appears to be poisoning from the highly toxic pesticide carbofuran which occurs primarily outside protected areas. Also it has suffered from diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for livestock but which is fatal to Gyps spp. when ingested at carcasses. Conversion of habitat to agricultural is also a serious problem.
This species is capable of soaring at great heights, sometimes well in excess of 20,000 ft. It is reported to have particularly oxygen rich blood to enable survival at such altitudes. It often goes by a variety of alternate English names and spellings including Rueppell's Griffon Vulture, Rueppell's Vulture, Ruppell's Griffon, Rüppell's Griffon, Ruppell's Griffon Vulture, Rüppell's Griffon Vulture, Ruppell's Vulture and Rüppell's Vulture.
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