The national animal of Mali is the vulture, specifically the lappet-faced vulture. This is an Old World vulture belonging to the broader order which includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. They are important national symbols and seen to embody many aspects of Malian values and natural beauty.
There are 23 extant species of vulture in the world today and several of them can be found in Mali.
Generally, the answer to the question is just that the vulture is the national animal of Mali, but this includes a great many species—so it is usually more specified that the lappet-faced vulture, common West Africa, is the national animal of Mali.
Let’s find out more.
What is the national animal of Mali?
The national animal of Mali is the vulture, and the specific vulture in question is usually given as the lappet-faced vulture.
This is a species of vulture found across Africa and parts of the Middle East which is physically distinctive in a number of important ways.
They are the only member of their genus, Torgos, and though they share some superficial physical and sensory similarities with many New World vultures, they are not closely related.
They were originally considered to be monotypical, but they are now separated into two distinct subspecies.
The nominate species, the one with which we are now concerned, is endemic to Africa.
The other subspecies is the one which is found in the Arabian peninsula and to which it is endemic and thus not found in Africa.
Their scientific name, Torgos tracheliotos, means “cartilage-eating vulture” in Greek as they are known for their ability, like many vultures, to eat on the harshest parts of carrion like their cartilage and bones.
They are a huge species of eagle, ranking among the longest and largest winged vulture in their habitat.
They measure around 37 to 45 inches in body length, with a wingspan of anywhere from 8.2 to 9.5 feet.
They have overall blackish plumage with a strongly contrasting white feather on the thighs.
They are lined with brown on the back and their underside can range quite a lot, from white to brown.
Their head, like many species of vulture, is bald, and it can again vary a great deal in pigment; in the north of Africa where it is found in Mali, they mostly have a dull pink head though as you go further south it gets considerably brighter.
The fleshy folds on the side of its head and the bright color make it highly recognizable.
Why is the lappet-faced vulture the national animal of Mali?
The lappet-faced vulture is the national animal of Mali for a variety of reasons.
On the one hand, they are considered to be embodiments of many important national values such as freedom, liberty, strength, power, and resourcefulness.
They have the freedom of the sky and even a single individual may range over a very wide area; this is a common motif in the choice of national animals as ones that are seen, in their ability to roam far and wide, to embody the value of national freedom and liberty.
But they are also strikingly large and powerful, at the same time.
On the other hand, they are seen more literally as embodiments of Malian natural beauty.
Though perhaps the sight of them eating carrion may not be particularly savory to our eyes, they nonetheless are beautiful creatures which are very much at home in the natural wilds of Mali and thus few creatures so well embody this aspect of national pride.
Conservation, though, is also plainly a problem for the lappet-faced vulture, and by making them the national animal, the government also hopes to bring attention to this problem.
They are considered an endangered species and will need protection in the future if they are to survive.
Where do lappet-faced vulture live?
They prefer to live in the dry savannah, thornbush, arid plains, and scattered trees in deserts and open mountain slopes.
They are most commonly found in the more undisturbed country and are not a common sight close to human habitations.
They prefer minimal tree and grass cover.
They will, though, often wander into more densely inhabit areas while foraging and they are very often drawn to roads by dead animals or roadkill.
They can be found at a vast range of elevations, anywhere from sea-level to 14,800 feet high in the mountains.
What do lappet-faced vulture eat?
They are, like most vultures, scavenging birds.
They find carcasses by sight or by watching other birds, though they are more commonly known to find their own carrion than most other species of African vulture.
They will then start tearing through the skin.
They are the most powerful and aggressive of African vultures, and most other vultures will usually give up their find in the face of aggression from a lappet-faced vulture.
They mostly feed on the carcasses of large mammals, especially those that other carrion-eaters are not sufficiently equipped to handle with smaller, less powerful beaks and claws.
So, again, this distinctive species of vulture is among the most striking members of Mali’s wildlife and thus it has become known as the country’s official national animal.
They are seen as symbols of many things in the nation and embody natural beauty, while also being spirits of power, freedom, liberty and boldness.
The vulture more broadly, though, is also important in Mali.