---
title: "Cape Griffon"
description: "Gyps coprotheres — Birds. The Cape vulture (Gyps coprotheres), also known as Cape griffon and Kolbe's vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/cape-griffon
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Cape Griffon

> Gyps coprotheres — Birds. The Cape vulture (Gyps coprotheres), also known as Cape griffon and Kolbe's vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae.

- Scientific name: *Gyps coprotheres*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: unknown
- iNaturalist observations: 1432
- Wikidata: [Q826525](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q826525)
- iNaturalist taxon: [5365](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/5365)

## Names

- en: Cape Griffon
- de: Kapgeier
- es: Buitre de El Cabo
- fr: Vautour chassefiente
- nl: Kaapse gier
- pt: Abutre-do-cabo
- pl: Sęp przylądkowy

## Countries with the most observations

ZA (1210), LS (33), BW (21)

## Summary

The Cape vulture (Gyps coprotheres), also known as Cape griffon and Kolbe's vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to southern Africa, and lives mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and in some parts of northern Namibia. It nests on cliffs and lays one egg per year. In 2015, it had been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, but was down-listed to Vulnerable in 2021 as some populations increased and have been stable since about 2016.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_vulture

## Photo

![Cape Griffon](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/cape-griffon/medium.jpg)

Photo: Andrew Deacon · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/92071462

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/cape-griffon?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).