Blue crane (Anthropoides paradiseus) Wattled crane (Grus carunculatus) Grey crowned crane (Balearica regulorum) Crane species in Namibia

Distribution and abundance - overall Largest and rarest crane in Africa; with an estimated African population of 7500 – birds Largely restricted to southern and central Africa - wetland areas of Zambia, DRC and the Okavango Delta - with an isolated population in Ethiopia of a few hundred birds Major stronghold lies in Zambia which supports c birds In southern Africa, centered on Okavango Delta, with 1000 – 3000 birds there Feeds on small amphibians and tubers, small reptiles, small mammals, insects, grain, tubers, rhizomes Egglaying March – September (Okavango and Caprivi), year-round with a peak in April – September (Zimbabwe and South Africa) Threats include wetland degradation by drainage, damming and afforestation, direct disturbance and poisoning Wattled crane

Regional distribution – Wattled crane

In Namibia: Namibian population, estimated at around 200 birds, is an overflow of the Okavango population Feeds on small amphibians and tubers Recorded regularly in 13 wetlands Utilises large low-lying wetlands and swamps in northern Namibia, and ephemerally flooded pans Small numbers found on floodplains of Okavango, Kwando and Chobe rivers and in ephemeral pans near Tsumkwe. Also Oponono, Oshituntu, Mahango, Sishika channel, Linyanti swamps Little known about breeding in Namibia – only 4 records Wattled crane

No of birds recorded in Wetland counts: Wattled crane Tsumkwe pans Apr 90Nyae 95 Apr 91Nyae 7 Jan 92Tjokwe2 Jan 92Nyae 84 Jan 92Klein Dobe2 Jan 93Nyae 2 Apr 93Nyae 58 Apr 93Baraka pans3 Jan 94Nyae 22 Jan 94Khabi6 Apr 94Tjokwe3 Apr 94Baraka3 Apr 94Khabi2 Apr 94Nyae 6 Apr 94Gautscha10 Apr 95Makuri Vlei2 Jan 96Nyae 5 Apr 96Nyae 64 Jan 97Nyae 10 Feb 97Nyae 20 Jan 98Nyae 2 Feb 99Nyae 9 Feb 00Nyae 45 May 00Nyae 6 Jul 00Nyae 6 Apr 01Gautscha5 Apr 01Gura3 Apr 01Nyae 11 Kwando River (5 km) Apr 962 Jan 983 Mahango Aug 918 Jul 927 Jan 933 Apr 933 Apr 943 Jan 959 May 956 Apr 965 Jul 972 May 985 Jan 9910 Jul 002 Jan 017 Sishika Channel Jul 912 Aug 923 Jul 932 Lake Oponono Apr 93*4 Jan 945 Apr 942 Apr 9723 Jul 9742 Apr 9813 Mar 9930 May 9912 Feb 006 Jan 0112 * Includes Oshituntu Oshituntu Apr 944 Jun 952 Apr 972 Jul 971 Jan 983 Apr 985 Jan 9921 Jan 0010 Apr 013

Distribution of Wattled crane in relation to protected areas and conservancies

Distribution of Wattled crane in relation to human population

Distribution of Wattled crane in relation to livestock

Number of nest record cards: Wattled crane

Livestock density Population density Cleared land Wattled crane – potential for range expansion?

Red Data status – Critically Endangered in Namibia, – population stable Threats Degradation of wetlands, though most are protected, in conservancies or remote and rarely visited by humans Flow regulation (e.g. proposed weirs) on major rivers Increased tourism Ability to recover from natural disasters or disturbance is limited because: - rear only one young - reach sexual maturity as late as 8 or 9 years old Actions Research on movements of individuals through radio/satellite tracking Enhanced protection of Nyae Nyae pans – a potential nursery area for subadults Wattled crane

This presentation was compiled using information and data from:  The Atlas of Southern African Birds (Ed. Harrison et al, 1997)  Avifaunal Database of Namibia, held at the Directorate of Environmental Affairs, MET  Atlas of Namibia – A Portrait of the Land and its People (Mendelsohn et al, 2002)  An environmental profile and atlas of Caprivi (Mendelsohn et al, 1997)  Draft text from the Red Data Book on birds of Namibia (Simmons, in prep)