A recent preliminary conservation assessment has shown that South Africa's bustards and korhaans are one of our country's most threatened groups of birds.

Ten species of bustards occur in South Africa, of which six are endemic (or near-endemic) to Southern Africa (in other words, found nowhere else in the world) and of which six are listed in The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. The Denham's Bustard and Blue Korhaan are also listed as 'Near-threatened' internationally.

The N3 Toll Concession provides an essential highway between the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The N3 highway passes through the Free State province and with successful birding routes having been developed in the Gauteng and Southern KwaZulul-Natal regions, the N3 Toll Concession recognised the need for development in the birding routes and ecotourism market.