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Extract from the New Vision
Crested Crane initiative launched.
UG. CRESTED CRANE DAY:
Mafabi, Pike and Odongo walk
through a wetland at the London
College at the launch yesterday
By Gerald Tenywa
THE Crested Crane, Uganda's national bird, may get a new
lease of life following the launch yesterday of a nationwide
initiative to conserve its rapidly declining population.
State minister for environment Jeje Odongo, who presided over
the function, warned against the persecution of the bird. The
launch was at the St. Lawrence Schools - London College on
Masaka Road.
Odongo, who was accompanied by conservationists and New
Vision Editor in Chief William Pike, said the Crested Crane
was an emblem for Uganda and many Ugandan companies.
Odongo said six of the 15 global species occurred in Africa
and Uganda harboured two of the only crowned cranes.
Crested Crane is also known as the Grey Crowned Crane.
As the bird is our national emblem, Uganda should lead the
world in its conservation, he said...
... the population of the Crested Crane in Uganda has
declined from 100,000 in 1973 to about 20,000 in 1986,
according to Paul Mafabi, who heads the Wetlands Inspection
Division in the Ministry of Environment.
World Conservation Society (WCS) is spearheading the project
known as the Save the Crane, in which school children would
be engaged in a nationwide survey to count the cranes and
their nests across the country. WCS chief Andrew Plumptre
said the adult Crested Crane survives up to 40 years. He said
most of them were not being replaced through breeding...
Pike said The New Vision would publish articles in its weekly
columns on children and environment to highlight the plight
of the Crested Crane and coverage of the progress of the
survey.
He said various prizes including a trip to watch a football
match between the national team, the Cranes, in March, were
up for grabs for excelling children.
Other partners that would be engaged in the survey, which
will run for 10 weeks, include Nature Uganda, the BirdLife
International partner and Wildlife Conservation Society.
Published on: Wednesday, 10th November, 2004
National Environment Management Authority -
WWW.NEMAUG.ORG
Link: Uganda Wildlife Authority.
LINK: THE ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTION NETWORK, TEAN.
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