Species Use Database

White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus

Used for Medicine and hygiene and Ceremony, religious, and ritual expression in Burkina Faso

A. Species

Scientific name: Gyps africanus

Common name(s): White-backed Vulture

Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Critically Endangered


B. Location of use

Geographic location(s):

  • Burkina Faso

Country/Region:


C. Scale of assessment

Scale of assessment: National Level

Name/Details of location: Burkina Faso


D. Timescale of use

Start Year: 2016

End Year: 2016


E. Information about the use

How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Type of use: Extractive

Practice of use: Hunting and/or Trapping of live terrestrial and aerial animals

Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal

Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism

Purpose(s) of end use: Medicine and hygiene and Ceremony, religious, and ritual expression

Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community), Largescale commercial exploitation for trade and Traditional/Cultural/Spiritual

Is this use legal or illegal?: Illegal under national law


F. Information about the Users

Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people


G. Information about the sustainability of use

Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded


Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species

To reduce and eventually to halt the intentional poisoning of vultures for trade for belief-based use, we recommend and encourage a review of current legislation and enforcement actions that could lead to the successful prosecution of cases involving poisoned vultures.


Record source

Information about the record source: own_res_data_knowledge

Date of publication/issue/production: 2022-01-01T00:00:00+0000

Source Reference(s):

Daboné C, Ouéda A, Thompson LJ, Adjakpa JB, Weesie PD. Trade in vulture parts in West Africa: Burkina Faso may be one of the main sources of vulture carcasses. Bird Conservation International. 2023;33:e8. doi:10.1017/S095927092100054X

Date of record entry: 2024-08-22


Records from the same source material: