Lappet-faced Vulture

Once the largest bird of prey in Israel, the Lappet-faced vulture disappeared entirely from the country's skies in the 1980s. The last known wild pair nested in Israel in 1989, marking the local extinction of this magnificent species.

Today, the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, in partnership with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, is leading an ambitious conservation initiative to establish a sustainable breeding population and ultimately return the Lappet-faced vulture to its natural habitat.

In 2025, a dedicated Lappet-faced vulture habitat was opened near the wolf exhibit, providing a home for a breeding pair transferred from the Carmel Wildlife Reserve. Their story is one of resilience, hope, and an extraordinary second chance. The female, Ketura, was rescued from the wild after being found exhausted and brought to the Carmel Wildlife Reserve, where she lived for many years alongside another female. One day, an unexpected visitor arrived - a wild male vulture that settled outside the reserve’s enclosure. Recognizing a unique opportunity, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority brought him into the protected habitat, where he regained his strength and was given the name Midyan. Midyan quickly began courting Ketura, and she responded. Together they built a nest and laid an egg. To maximize its chances of survival, the egg was carefully transferred to the National RaptorIncubation Center, while the parents continued incubating a specially designed dummy egg. When the chick hatched, she was returned to her parents, who successfully raised her. The young vulture was named Uzi, and she became a symbol of hope for the future of the species in Israel. Later, Ketura and Midyan were transferred to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, while Uzi remained at the Carmel Wildlife Reserve. Following the death of the elderly Ketura, Midyanwas transferred to the Safari in Ramat Gan, and Uzi took her place at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. To give her the best possible chance of establishing a breeding pair, a young male named Charles was brought from England through the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria's Ex Situ Programme (EEP), an international collaboration that manages the breeding of endangered species across Europe and the Middle East. Uzi and Charles are still young and are gradually forming the strong pair bond that characterizes Lappet-faced vultures- a partnership that can last for life.

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo is proud to play aleading role in restoring this remarkable species to Israel. Together with our conservation partners, we hope that Uzi and Charles will establish a successful breeding lineage, producing chicks that will one day soar over Israel’s deserts and open landscapes once again. Every chick hatched brings us one step closer to returning the Lappet-faced vulture to the place it once called home.

‍

‍

‍

Photo: Matan Sharon