Mazda Wildlife Fund: The driving force behind Ludwig’s Bustard conservation

In the 50th Anniversary year of the FitzPatrick Institute, some exciting new terrestrial bird projects are getting underway. One of these will investigate the conservation problems surrounding Ludwig’s Bustard, a species confined to southwestern Africa. Further great news is that the Mazda Wildlife Fund has loaned a 4x4 Mazda bakkie to the project, with full servicing, for the next three years.

Driven by the spirit of commitment since 1990, the Mazda Wildlife Fund reaches out far beyond its vehicles, showrooms and factories, by nurturing our nation’s wildlife through the loan of Mazda vehicles to high-priority conservation projects. “The Fund is dedicated to protecting and preserving our rich and irreplaceable natural heritage, having invested over R23 million, and is committed to a future investment of R1,5 million per year, contributing towards a multitude of conservation endeavours critical for the survival of our planet in areas such as education, conservation and research” says Humphrey LeGrice, the Manager of the Fund. The Fund currently supports 30 non-government and non-profit organization projects.

“Ludwig’s Bustards are confined to the semi-desert and desert regions of South Africa and Namibia, where they are nomadic, possibly following rain events” says Associate Professor Peter Ryan, the Bustard Research Project Leader. It is the largest endemic bustard of the region and, once airborne, is not very manoeuvrable. Recent studies have found that large numbers of Ludwig’s Bustards are killed when they collide with overhead power lines. In one area, collisions kill on average two birds per kilometre of power cables per year, and Ludwig’s Bustards make up 10% of all the birds killed in collisions with power lines in the arid areas of South Africa. There are already 8 000km of medium- and high-voltage power lines in the arid Karoo and, as South Africa continues to develop, the size of this power grid will only increase.

Also supporting the project are ESKOM, the Endangered Wildlife Trust and the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. As a direct spin-off from the Bustard Research Project, the FitzPatrick Institute will also be assessing the impacts of power lines on other birds, such as the smaller bustards, Blue Cranes (South Africa’s national bird) and White Storks, as well as the extent to which mitigation measures put in place to benefit Ludwig’s Bustards also benefit these species.

Image: Ludwig's Bustard. Photo: Chris van Rooyen.