Himalayan Vulture - Gyps himalayensis -

Portrait of the Himalayan Vulture - Gyps himalayensis - a large Old World raptor that lives in the mountainous region between Afghanistan and China.

One of the many species of raptor at Rocamadour, France, at Le Rocher des Aigles, a raptor breeding organisation where birds are free flown. This large bird is now considered Near Threatened in the wild due to secondary poisoning from the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Diclofenac, which causes kidney failure in vultures when treated animal carcases are eaten. This has also affected other species of vulture across the Indian sub-continent.