PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA, 09 October 2025 – As the nation celebrated Heritage Month, attention turns to a pressing challenge for South Africa’s natural heritage: the iconic Blue Crane, the country’s revered national bird, has officially been uplisted from ‘Near Threatened’ to ‘Vulnerable’ in the Regional Red Data Book 2025. The designation signals a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium term, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated conservation efforts.
Endemic to South Africa, with a small population in Namibia, fewer than 30,000 Blue Cranes (Anthropoides paradiseus) remain globally. While the Karoo remains a stronghold, the Overberg region of the Western Cape has experienced a stark 44% decline in Blue Crane numbers between 2011 and 2025, according to long-running citizen science data from Coordinated Avifaunal Roadcounts (CAR). This follows a period of remarkable recovery, where CAR counts had recorded a 261% increase between 1994 and 2010.
“The uplisting of the Blue Crane to ‘Vulnerable’ is a stark reminder that conservation is an ongoing battle, and our national bird needs us now more than ever,” says Lynda du Plessis, manager of the Ford Wildlife Foundation. “In the shadow of Heritage Month, we are reminded that protecting our natural heritage is as vital as preserving our cultural roots. The Ford Ranger is more than just a vehicle; it enables conservationists to reach remote areas, reinvigorate vital citizen science projects like CAR, and engage directly with farmers and communities. It’s proof that local industry can directly safeguard our most cherished species.”
Understanding and Addressing the Decline
EWT Conservation Scientist Dr Christie Craig highlights the decline in breeding success in the Overberg, where pairs now raise just 0.55 fledglings, far below sustainable levels. MSc student Michelle Bouwer identifies disturbance, high temperatures, and fence entanglement for flightless chicks as critical drivers of nest failure. Blue Cranes, which largely occur outside protected areas, also fall victim to poisoning—often from substances intended for other species—and frequent power line collisions, increasingly exacerbated by new renewable energy infrastructure.
Changes in farming practices, such as minimum tillage and increased canola production, have further reduced suitable feeding and breeding habitats. In response, the EWT/ICF partnership, with guidance from the IUCN Conservation Planning Specialist Group, has developed a multi-stakeholder conservation plan with key partners including the Overberg Crane Group (OCG), CapeNature, and BirdLife South Africa.
The strategy rests on four critical pillars:
- Habitat Protection: Expanding conservation work from the Drakensberg to the Western Cape and Karoo.
- Energy Infrastructure Mitigation: Reducing power line collisions in partnership with Eskom and other energy providers.
- Crane-Friendly Agriculture: Collaborating with farmers to minimise threats such as poisoning, nest disturbance, and crop damage, while adapting to modern farming practices.
- Research and Monitoring: Reinforcing citizen science initiatives like CAR and continuing evidence-based research to track population trends.
“The uplisting of the Blue Crane is a wake-up call, but it also galvanizes our resolve,” says Dr Damian Walters, Senior Conservation Manager at EWT/ICF. “Our work spans vast and varied landscapes, from the Karoo to the Overberg. The Ford Ranger is indispensable—it allows us to access remote CAR routes, investigate nest failures, consult on crane-friendly agriculture, and implement critical power line mitigation in renewable energy zones. Its all-terrain capability ensures rapid response and fosters the farmer relationships that are the backbone of our conservation efforts.”
On the Frontline of Conservation
The EWT team recently completed the 30th annual crane aerial survey across KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Eastern Cape, fitting satellite trackers to Wattled Crane chicks and testing drones to improve nest monitoring. Since December 2024, the team has travelled approximately 28,000 km in the Ford Ranger, tackling everything from smooth tar to rugged dirt roads and wetlands. Its reliability, comfort, and off-road capability consistently enable critical on-site research, community engagement, and emergency response.
The Ford Wildlife Foundation, established in 2014, continues to empower conservation organisations like the EWT by providing essential mobility, enabling groundbreaking research and urgent conservation interventions across South Africa. Currently, the foundation supports 28 projects in South Africa and one in Mozambique, spanning conservation, research, and environmental education initiatives.
“Over three decades, Ford South Africa has actively contributed to wildlife and ecosystem conservation,” du Plessis notes. “Through projects like this, we demonstrate that protecting our national bird is not just a moral imperative—it’s a responsibility we all share.”
As South Africa faces this pivotal moment in safeguarding its natural heritage, the collaboration between conservationists, local industry, and communities provides a tangible path forward to secure a future for the Blue Crane—an enduring symbol of the nation’s pride and resilience.
