![Wattled Crane nest](https://savingcranes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/wattled-crane-egg-rescue_Umgeni-Vlei-Nature-Reserve_800.jpg)
The Wattled Crane breeding season in eastern South Africa overlaps with prescribed burns during the winter fire season. Due to the timing of this natural fire season, one of the most significant historical threats to the species has been the loss of eggs and chicks at nest sites to fire.
Today, the International Crane Foundation/Endangered Wildlife Trust Partnership works with farmers, landowners and nature reserves to secure the safety of the eggs and chicks by temporarily removing them while the scheduled burns are conducted. Our team returns the eggs or chicks to the parents once it is safe. The pictured rescues took several hours, but we are happy to report that the chicks and parents are all doing well after the fires!
![Wattled Crane chick](https://savingcranes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Winchester_holding_Wattled_Crane_chick_350.jpg)
![Prescribed fire, South Africa](https://savingcranes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Shannon-egg-removal-6.7.23-firebreak-burn_650.jpg)
![Field staff, South Africa](https://savingcranes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SHANNO4.jpg)
![Field staff, South Africa](https://savingcranes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SHANNO1.jpg)
![Wattled Crane eggs](https://savingcranes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Shannon-egg-removal-6.7.23-in-make-shift-incubtor_600.jpg)
Story submitted by Lara Jordan South African Drakensberg Coordinator. Learn more about our work in Sub-Saharan Africa here.