Cranes on their mind

THE Namibia Crane Action Plan and Working Group established good contacts on a recent visit to the Caprivi and Kavango regions.

Programme co-ordinators, Ann and Mike Scott, presented their work at the Caprivi Conservancy quarterly planning meeting at Lusese in September. Groups of two to three Wattled Cranes have been recorded in the area, with at least three breeding records.Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) and the crane working group will in future work together to produce a data sheet for recording crane sightings.This will be used by conservancy rangers during game counts as well as in other crane areas.In Kavango, at Rundu, Dorothy Wamunyima informed the Scotts about the Every River Has Its People project.Wamunyima and Mathias Mpepo, an educator at the Maria Mawengere Environmental Education Centre, are enthusiastic about promoting crane awareness and plan a series of visits to local communities in the region.They also hope to develop crane themes in art and crafts.The Scotts further met Mark Paxton, the ranger at the Mahango Nature Reserve, who is doing regular Wattled Crane surveys.Up to nine birds at a time have been observed in the reserve, including two breeding pairs.The Namibia Crane Action Plan and Working Group were established earlier this year to implement a comprehensive conservation strategy for the three crane species that are threatened in Namibia.The crane species in need of attention are the Wattled Crane, Crowned Crane and the Blue Crane.All three species are threatened throughout southern Africa.They are all flagship species for wetland and grassland habitat conservation.Groups of two to three Wattled Cranes have been recorded in the area, with at least three breeding records.Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) and the crane working group will in future work together to produce a data sheet for recording crane sightings.This will be used by conservancy rangers during game counts as well as in other crane areas.In Kavango, at Rundu, Dorothy Wamunyima informed the Scotts about the Every River Has Its People project.Wamunyima and Mathias Mpepo, an educator at the Maria Mawengere Environmental Education Centre, are enthusiastic about promoting crane awareness and plan a series of visits to local communities in the region.They also hope to develop crane themes in art and crafts.The Scotts further met Mark Paxton, the ranger at the Mahango Nature Reserve, who is doing regular Wattled Crane surveys.Up to nine birds at a time have been observed in the reserve, including two breeding pairs.The Namibia Crane Action Plan and Working Group were established earlier this year to implement a comprehensive conservation strategy for the three crane species that are threatened in Namibia.The crane species in need of attention are the Wattled Crane, Crowned Crane and the Blue Crane.All three species are threatened throughout southern Africa.They are all flagship species for wetland and grassland habitat conservation.