Overall Range of Wattled Cranes
South African Range of Wattled Cranes
Historically, Wattled Cranes were widespread in South Africa from northern Limpopo, through Mpumalanga and Swaziland to western KZN and the Eastern Cape, extending as far south the Western Cape (Somerset West/Caledon). Today it occurs in a much more restricted range within the eastern higher rainfall regions of the country, with concentrations in the Mpumalanga highlands and the midlands to southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal. Small numbers of breeding pairs are also present within the Wakkerstroom region, the Eastern Cape as well as the north-eastern Free State. Wattled Cranes no longer occur within the Western Cape and Swaziland.
The largest population of Wattled Cranes occurs in south-central Africa (Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zaire, Tanzania and Zimbabwe). A small population occurs in Ethiopia.