A blue crane rehabilitation facility has been established in the Overberg region of the Western Cape because the birds are being injured in powerline and fence collisions, creating an urgent need for care and rehabilitation.
The 4,000m² enclosure at a wildlife rehabilitation facility at the Kogelberg Biosphere Wildlife Rescue and Training Centre was constructed by Haygrove South Africa in collaboration with the Kogelberg Biosphere NPC and funded through the International Crane Foundation/Endangered Wildlife Trust and Leiden Conservation Foundation.
The organisations said the centre is the first of its kind in the Western Cape and serves a region where the need for services to deal with cranes living in agricultural habitats and often injured in collisions with fences and powerlines is great.
“The enclosure houses injured blue cranes during their rehabilitation. It is large enough to enable them to stretch and exercise their flight muscles, allowing better outcomes on release,” they said
Rehabilitation will reduce the number of mortalities and result in improved survival of the species, South Africa's national bird, which is in decline.
Blue cranes are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of species.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.