A NEW DISTRIBUTION MAP

     You will be able to view a brand new distribution map soon. It will be available

         on the Natural World website and can be accessed by clicking on the logo.

                        Please note that this map is still under construction

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Do you know if there are or were historically Southern Ground Hornbills in your area?

Please click here for more information and maps of your area.

 

                      Our thanks go to AfriGIS for compiling                                                                  Our thanks to Singizi for sponsorship of data

                       this map.                                                                                                                  compilation collected mainly by public sightings.

 

SOUTHERN GROUND HORNBILL (Bucorvus leadbeateri)

 

This map shows 1,860 sightings of Southern Ground hornbills collected over the past 164 years. It is estimated that at the present time there are approximately 1.500 individuals in South Africa in groups of 2 – 12 birds, with a territorial range of 100 km².  There is only one breeding female in each group, that only rear an average of one chick every 9 years.

 

The preliminary analysis of this data, by Dr. Alan Kemp, ( which can be accessed by clicking HERE) shows the retraction in the range of this species.  But further immediate work by the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project will improve this data by visits to the QDSs where SGHs were found during 1976 – 2000 to ground-truth the accuracy of this survey.  A GIS analysis of habitats encompassed by historical and recent records, and by measurement of the exact extent of those preferred habitats.

 

Points have been plotted on the map in two ways depending on the level of accuracy with which the sightings were reported. Sightings recorded to the accuracy of a quarter degree square (QDS) are represented as a square in the centre of the relevant grid. These sightings have mostly been gleaned from various atlases published since 1976. Sightings that were reported as GPS points, on properties, farms or reserves were plotted on the map and are represented by points on the map. Sightings have also been broken up into various time periods and are assigned different colours.

 

 

Map References

Prior to 1900    (Yellow points or squares), a variety of published sources, starting with Wahlberg’s specimens from Gauteng in 1842 (Craig &                       Hummel 1994).

1901-1950          (Orange points or squares), a variety of published, anecdotal and specimen records.

1951-1975          (Red points or squares), a variety of published, anecdotal and specimen records.

1976-2000          (Purple points or squares), Records were extracted mainly from the atlases of the Transvaal (Kemp et al. 1985; Tarboton et

                              al. 1987), Swaziland (Parker 1994), Natal (Cyrus & Robson 1980) and southern Africa (Harrison et al. 1997). There were also    

                              specific studies on SGHs that provided comprehensive data from the Eastern Cape (Vernon 1986) and KwaZulu-Natal (Knight                       1990), and also a variety of published, anecdotal and specimen records.

2000-present     (Blue points or squares), the Mabula Project began an intensive programme to solicit and collect records of SGHs from      

                             throughout south and southern Africa. Most records came from sightings reported by the public.