{"id":4842,"date":"2025-12-23T13:49:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T13:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/?p=4842"},"modified":"2026-01-23T12:38:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T12:38:28","slug":"interview-with-matthew-orolowitz-on-saving-bothas-lark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/interview-with-matthew-orolowitz-on-saving-bothas-lark\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Matthew Orolowitz on Saving Botha’s Lark"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Q: Can you tell us about Botha\u2019s Lark and why it\u2019s so important?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Botha\u2019s Lark (Spizocorys fringillaris) is a small, ground-dwelling bird found only in the high-altitude grasslands of Mpumalanga and the Free State. It\u2019s Critically Endangered, with fewer than 340 mature individuals remaining. But it\u2019s more than just a bird – it\u2019s a flagship species for South Africa\u2019s grasslands, which are among the most threatened and poorly protected ecosystems in the country. Conserving the lark means protecting a landscape that provides water, stores carbon, sustains livestock farming, and supports countless other species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q: What makes conserving Botha\u2019s Lark such a challenge?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lark is a small and exceptionally inconspicuous bird. Its plumage blends seamlessly into the grass, making it easy to overlook. Compared to many other bird species, very little research has been conducted on Botha\u2019s Lark, so our understanding of its behaviour, ecology, and population remains limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Have there been any recent positive developments?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely. After 18 months without confirmed sightings, we\u2019ve rediscovered Botha\u2019s Lark at multiple sites. Even more encouraging, several nests have been found, and chicks have successfully fledged! Observing breeding success in a critically endangered species is a promising sign, giving us hope that, with careful conservation, the population can recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q: How is citizen science contributing to conservation efforts?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Citizen scientists are a game-changer. Through the Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2), volunteers submit checklists from high-altitude grasslands. Even \u201cno sightings\u201d are valuable because they help us understand where the species is absent. This data informs habitat protection, restoration, and Environmental Impact Assessments. We\u2019ve also hosted the inaugural Botha\u2019s Lark Atlas Bash this October to encourage birders to explore under-recorded areas, detect new populations, and strengthen conservation partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Why should people care about Botha\u2019s Lark?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Botha\u2019s Lark is more than a rare bird. It\u2019s a symbol of the health of our grasslands. When this species struggles, it signals that ecosystems that support agriculture, water, and climate resilience are under pressure. It\u2019s the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Saving it protects not just biodiversity, but the natural heritage and livelihoods of South Africans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q: How can people get involved?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone can help. Submit SABAP2 checklists when birding in highland grasslands, report Botha\u2019s Lark sightings to matthew.orolowitz@birdlife.org.za, and share the story.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Any final thoughts?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing Botha\u2019s Lark back in the grasslands and witnessing breeding success was incredibly moving. It reminds me that even when a species is critically endangered, collaboration, science, and care can make a real difference. This is our bird. This is our heritage. Together, we can save Botha\u2019s Lark. Protecting this species means protecting ourselves and the natural world we all depend on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Matthew Orolowitz highlights the urgent need to save the Critically Endangered Botha\u2019s Lark, a small grassland bird that serves as a key indicator of ecosystem health. Recent rediscoveries and successful breeding offer hope, while citizen science and community collaboration are proving vital for its conservation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":4837,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[934],"tags":[],"topics":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-4842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservation1"],"acf":[],"author_meta":{"display_name":"ZEISS Birding Team","author_link":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/author\/zeissbirding\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/Fieldwork-1-600x450.jpeg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Conservation<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Conservation<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 4 months ago","modified":"Updated 3 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on December 23, 2025","modified":"Updated on January 23, 2026"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on December 23, 2025 1:49 pm","modified":"Updated on January 23, 2026 12:38 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4842"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4842\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4859,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4842\/revisions\/4859"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4842"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=4842"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.zeiss.com\/sports-optics\/birding\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=4842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}