Gypaetus barbatus

This awesome vulture with its long, wedge shaped tail is an uncommon resident in the Drakensberg and Lesotho highlands. It is famous for its habit of dropping large bones from high in the sky to break them and then swallowing the small fragments whole.

We first recorded this magnificent bird at the vulture restaurant at Witsieshoek in the northern Drakensberg. Another great spot to see and specifically photograph this species is the vulture hide at Giants Castle (just remember to book well in advance).