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THE DECLINING OF BLUE CRANES IN NAMIBIA
According to Hines (1996) there are 15 species of Cranes in the world of which 6 species are found in Africa, of these three occurs in Namibia are the Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradiseus ), the Wattled Crane ( Bugeranus carunculatus ) ,and the Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum ). The Blue Crane is one of the world’s most range-restricted crane species and is endemic to Southern Africa .Etosha National Park in Namibia serves as a breeding area for a small and isolated population of blue cranes. The Namibian population of Blue cranes had been recorded between the Ekuma River and Andoni within the grassland around the grass land around the Omadhiya Lake System and around the main Etosha pan. Blue Crane are critically endangered in Namibia as their population is quite low as there is about 30 seen in the Andoni plain inside Etosha. They are declining due to human activities and predation such as Black backed jackal. People that stay outside the Etosha National park in the Omadhiya lake system they do feed on them and some use them for medicinal purposes, used for traditional healing. Kings also use them for decoration on their hats. This lead to the declining of their number as there is an increase in human population due to increased rainfall and flooding that forced people to go settle there for grazing and fishing. Blue cranes are also caught in power line or fences. That’s why their population is declining. Therefore actions need to be taken in account to increase Blue cranes population in Namibia.

References: Ntinda,V.T.(2011). The investigation into the decline of the only breeding Blue Cranes population in Namibia. Published note: Etosha Ecological Institute. Hines,C.J.H. (1996). Cranes in Namibia. Proceedings of 1993 African Crane and wetland training workshop. 305-306