The post-1980 breeding distribution of Bearded Vultures Gypaetus barbatus in southern Africa covers an area of about 35000 km2. Their foraging range is almost three times larger. The total southern African population consists of about 630 birds, comprising about 204 breeding pairs and 224 young birds. The breeding birds are distributed as follows: about 122 pairs in Lesotho, 42 in Natal (37 on the Drakensberg escarpment), 17 pairs in the Transkei, 16 in the northeastern Cape, four in QwaQwa and three in the Orange Free State.