Africa’s beautiful cranes, and their fight for survival
Only two per cent of our grasslands are conserved, and more than 50 per cent of our wetlands have been lost
AS the world recently celebrated Endangered Species Day, we too a look at the continued efforts to protect endangered species – including South Africa’s national bird which is currently listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the Red List of Threatened Species.
According to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), the overall population of the Blue Crane has halved since the 1970’s.
‘With support from the Ford Wildlife Foundation (FWF), however, conservation efforts by the EWT are turning the tide,’ they said in their Endangered Species Day statement.
ALSO READ: Help save birds under threat
‘The EWT’s African Crane Conservation Programme, a partnership with the International Crane Foundation (ICF), is working to halt the decline of South Africa’s cranes.
‘Their efforts have already yielded results, with the population of all three crane species not only stabilising, but showing an increase.
‘The Grey Crowned Crane population in KZN has grown by an astounding 44% over the past decade.’
Here are some interesting facts about these majestic birds
• South Africa is home to three species of crane: the Blue Crane, the Grey Crowned Crane, and the Wattled Crane, all of which are threatened.
• The Blue Crane is South Africa’s national bird and almost exclusively endemic to South Africa, with a small number of birds (20 – 25) found in Namibia.
• Uganda’s national bird, the Grey Crowned Crane, is the most ancient species of crane, and also the fastest declining crane species in the world.
• South Africa is the only country with a stable and increasing population.
• At a height of up to 175cm, the Wattled Crane is Africa’s largest crane, and the second largest in the world. Due to loss of wetlands, the species is critically endangered in South Africa.
• The oldest known living crane is 83 years old. Crane fossils date back more than 10-million years.
• Cranes depend on grasslands and wetlands for survival, which are two of South Africa’s most threatened habitat types. Only two per cent of our grasslands are conserved, and more than 50 per cent of our wetlands have been lost.
• We lose roughly 10 – 12 per cent of our Blue Crane population annually in the Western Cape due to collisions with overhead powerlines.
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