Explore Southern Africa Magazine

27/07/2025

13/07/2025

13/07/2025

𝘿𝘼𝘽𝘾𝙃𝙄𝘾𝙆 𝙒𝙄𝙇𝘿 𝘽𝙄𝙍𝘿𝙎
𝐃𝐖𝐑 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡!
𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐞 (𝙂𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙖)
🇿🇦 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞
𝐈𝐔𝐂𝐍 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬: Vulnerable

Elegant, iconic and deeply symbolic — the Blue Crane, known as 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙬𝙚 in isiXhosa, is South Africa’s national bird and a proud ambassador for the country’s natural heritage.

Endemic to southern Africa, Blue Cranes are the most range-restricted crane species in the world. They grace the open grasslands and farmlands of the Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape, where they are most numerous today. Their feathers once adorned Xhosa warriors honoured for bravery — today, they call on all of us to be guardians of their future.

💡 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖?
🔹 Blue Cranes are monogamous and raise their chicks together in secluded grassland nests.
🔹 They are powerful fliers, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h.
🔹 During courtship, pairs perform elaborate dances — leaping, bowing, and tossing grass into the air.
🔹 Although adaptable, they remain vulnerable to powerline collisions, habitat loss and poisoning.
🔹 There are only an estimated 25,000 individuals left worldwide.

📉 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝:
Despite a hopeful increase in parts of the Western Cape, Blue Crane populations have declined in the Eastern Cape, Free State and Karoo due to agricultural expansion, habitat degradation, and human-wildlife conflict.
Recent research by the Endangered Wildlife Trust has highlighted a worrying drop in breeding success and juvenile recruitment in key areas.
Waterberg Biosphere Reserve
Welgevonden Game Reserve
The Waterberg Biosphere supports a small but significant population of Blue Cranes, fluctuating between 40 and 70 individuals over the past three years, depending on annual breeding success. Sixteen breeding pairs have been identified, including five on Welgevonden Game Reserve — making the region a critical stronghold for the species in Limpopo.

At Dabchick Wildlife Reserve, Blue Cranes are rarely seen — but their rare appearance leaves a lasting impact.

“𝙒𝙚’𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙘𝙚 — 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙨 𝙤𝙛 ‘𝙑𝙪𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚’ 𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙘𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝘿𝙖𝙗𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙨𝙠: 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙨”
— Drs Peter Oberem & Pamela Oberem, Founders of Dabchick Wildlife Reserve

📍 As custodians of biodiversity, we are committed to preserving habitat, raising awareness, and supporting collaborative conservation action.
AMES Foundation Rewilding Africa
Let’s honour our national bird — not just in emblem, but in action.
🎼 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 & 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬
https://ebird.org/species/blucra2?siteLanguage=en_ZA
📸 Peter Betts
Waterberg Tourism
🦆 Dabchick Wildlife Reserve offers great bird and other photography opportunities! Book your stay now!

For reservations: [email protected] | [email protected]
For more information, visit www.dabchick.co.za

📷 Have you seen Blue Cranes near Dabchick or in your area? Share your photos and sightings in the comments!

13/02/2024

If Wildlife had cellphones 😆

26/01/2024

𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲
Eco Ranger
𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙖 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚?
Consider enrolling at Eco Ranger Academy for accredited training in 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦, 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, and 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. Their programmes offer a solid foundation. Check www.ecoranger.co.za for details. Alternatively, a ‘gap year’ can provide valuable experiences.

2024 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣! [email protected]

29/09/2023

Book your Advertising / Branding space in the Summer issue of the 𝐊𝐑𝐔𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐙𝐈𝐍𝐄 now, limited space available.
𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃!
𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝-𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞! To showcase your attraction, destination or activities, contact us for a quotation? [email protected]

16/09/2023

𝙍𝙀𝙒𝙄𝙇𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙎𝙊𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙉 𝘼𝙁𝙍𝙄𝘾𝘼
𝐕𝐨𝐥 𝟏 | 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝟐 | 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰!
💡𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭-𝐢𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞! 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐏𝐏!
𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mlpmedia.rewildingsa
𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐩 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞!
https://apps.apple.com/za/app/rewilding-southern-africa/id6447975385
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐛 𝐀𝐩𝐩!
https://rewildingsa.zinioapps.com
💡Conservation is everyone’s legacy and concern.
𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄! 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐏! 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐄!

𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬!
𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞! 𝟒 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬!
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚: 𝐑𝟓𝟎𝟎.𝟎𝟎 (𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥. 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬)
𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐂: 𝐔𝐒$𝟐𝟓 (𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥. 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭)
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐒$𝟑𝟎 (𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥. 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭)
𝐓𝐨 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐞-𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥: [email protected]

𝙍𝙀𝙒𝙄𝙇𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙎𝙊𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙉 𝘼𝙁𝙍𝙄𝘾𝘼 provides an integrated communications platform for a greater understanding and appreciation of rewilding, and how it can revitalise entire ecosystems. It is an upmarket publication aimed at conservationists, policymakers and concerned readers for whom conservation and the improvement of natural habitats shape how they live, what they consume, and where they choose to take their rest.

𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝!
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Join the new Group! REWILDING Southern Africa
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21/08/2023