The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the International Crane Foundation (ICF), who have been cross-continental partners since 1994, both celebrated 40 years of pioneering conservation action in 2013. The EWT’s African Crane Conservation Programme (EWT-ACCP) and the ICF formalized their working arrangement in 2006, and since then the partnership has gone on to deliver real and positive impacts on the status of cranes and communities across the African continent.
Author: Sara
North American Crane Workshop April 14-18, 2014
The 13th North American Crane Workshop will be held April 14-18, 2014 in Lafayette, Louisiana at the Hotel Acadiana. The Workshop will include two full days of presentations and one day of field trips to the spectacular Louisiana wetlands. The call for abstracts and registration are now open.
Travels with George: Bhutan Fall 2013
Since late October, the numbers of Black-necked Cranes in the Phobjika Valley, Bhutan have increased as more birds made their migration over the Himalayas. By November 11, the date of the Fourth King’s Birthday and of the Crane Festival within the courtyard of the Gangtey Gompa (16th century Buddhist temple), there were 262. When I returned on November 19, there were about 350, about 10 percent of which were juveniles, an indication that all is well on the breeding grounds in Tibet. More cranes are expected. Last winter the highest count in the valley was 368. This winter we hope the number exceeds 400!
Young Whooping Cranes Begin Fall Migration
Nineteen young Whooping Cranes are winging their way south on their first fall migration. This is the 13th group of birds to take part in the project led by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), a coalition of public and private groups that is reintroducing this highly imperiled species in eastern North America, part of its historic range.
Breeding Eurasian Cranes in North East Scotland, United Kingdom
Old written records, artifacts and place names indicate our ancestors’ familiarity with cranes, but definitive evidence of historical breeding in Scotland it is hard to come by. However, it seems inconceivable that cranes did not breed in many parts of Scotland up until at least some time in the Middle Ages.
Memphis Zoo Hatches First West African Black Crowned Cranes
To help reduce trade in crowned cranes, ICF and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) have been partnering with zoo associations around the world to promote sustainable breeding of captive populations. As part of our collaboration with the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums, we were thrilled to hear about the successful breeding of a 31 year old wild-caught Black Crowned Crane female at the Memphis Zoo.
Momoge National Nature Reserve Named Wetland of International Importance
The Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands, reviews and designates key sites nominated by national governments as Wetlands of International Importance. This week, Jilin Momoge National Nature Reserve, where an astounding 97% of the world’s Siberian Cranes stage on migration, was one of five new sites formally recognized as a Wetland of International Importance in the People’s Republic of China.
DAR Whooping Cranes Released at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge
Nine young Whooping Cranes were released October 24 at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge in Dodge County, Wis. The cranes are part of the Direct Autumn Release project conducted by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, an international coalition of public and private organizations that is reintroducing this highly imperiled species in eastern North America, part of its historic range.
A Veterinary House Call to Horicon Marsh
Among the many interesting activities I was involved in during my experience with ICF, traveling to Horicon National Wildlife Refuge to examine a Direct Autumn Release Whooping Cane chick was a highlight.
Unraveling the Mysteries of White-naped Crane Migration
This fall, an international team of conservationists and scientists from Mongolia, China, and the United States are tracking White-naped Cranes in East Asia to identify and protect the threatened cranes’ key breeding, migratory, and wintering habitat.