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The Endangered Wildlife Trust Responds to Blue Crane Mass Poisoning Allegations in South Africa


Earlier this week, media coverage of the possible poisoning of 200-1,000 Blue Cranes over a three-year period by a farmer in the Northern Cape of South Africa made headlines within the conservation community. ICF’s South Africa based partner The Endangered Wildlife Trust responded immediately to these allegations by contacting the agency responsible for the official investigation and is assisting wherever possible in the investigation.

ICF Receives Disney Conservation Grants


ICF has been awarded two $25,000 grants from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF). The conservation grants recognize ICF’s efforts to protect critical habitats for threatened cranes while engaging local communities in Vietnam and South Africa.

The EWT and ICF Celebrate 40 Years of Saving Cranes and Communities

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.

Knock, knock…Who's there?

Knock before entering… A common courtesy, for example, when visiting a friend or relative’s home. Believe it or not, this simple concept can also be applied as a training tool to help calm nervous birds. A ‘knock’ signals to a bird that an aviculturist will be entering to do something in their space. This ‘something’ can be any number of routine husbandry tasks: from checking food and water buckets, to entering the pen with a large bucket to clean. Sometimes, a knock may just mean someone is coming to look in at you and toss you a treat.

New Blue Crane Joins ICF Flock

On November 16, 2011, ICF received a young male Blue Crane from the National Zoological Park (NZP). The young crane, named Kito (Swahili for ‘precious child’) by ICF staff, was hatched in May 2011 and was parent–reared at NZP. Kito was donated to ICF to be paired with our female Blue Crane, Veld. Veld lost her previous mate in 2009 and, as many visitors to ICF since then may know, hasn’t been comfortable spending much time on exhibit.