Karkloof Conservation & Tourism - Wattled Crane Recovery Programme

Wattled Crane Recovery Programme

The Wattled Crane Recovery Programme is a conservation initiative aimed at preventing local extinction of the Wattled Crane through the collection of abandoned eggs from wild birds and the subsequent release of captive-reared chicks back into the wild.

The Plight of the Wattled Crane:
• The Wattled Crane is one of 5 critically endangered bird species in South Africa.
• There are 235 Wattled Cranes left across South Africa
• Major threats include habitat loss, power line collisions and accidental poisoning.
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The Role of the Programme:
• The programme is managed by the Johannesburg Zoo in cooperation with the South African Crane Working Group (SACWG), the African Association of Zoos and Aquaria (PAAZAB) and the Ezemvelo KwaZulu Natal Wildlife (EKZNW).
• 10 Participating facilities provide housing, food and reproductive management for the breeding flock.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Collecting eggs from the wild:
• When 2 eggs are laid, 1 chick is reared by the parents and the other is abandoned, thus removal of second eggs has no detrimental effect on the wild population.
• Aerial surveys to locate nests are conducted with the assistance of the Bateleurs and EKZNW.
• Fieldworkers from the Endangered Wildlife Trust monitor the nests throughout the breeding season.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Chicks fly before they can walk:
• Airlink provides air transport for the chicks to fly from Kwazulu Natal to Johannesburg when they are two to three days of age.
• Chicks are reared using a puppet and costume to prevent human imprinting.
• At 6-8 months of age the chicks which are not used for the captive breeding programme, are released into existing flocks of wild cranes.

*The following information is taken directly from the Wattled Crane Recovery Progamme's website and more information about it can be found on their website. Please visit: http://www.wattledcrane.co.za.




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