One would have expected the zoo keepers at Entebbe Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) to sing, hooray, hooray to the young crested crane at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.
The centre passed its first birthday for the first Crested Crane hatch without any celebration.
The parents hatched the bird on May 10, 2023 and weaned it off after about four months. “It is now a sub adult and no longer dependent,” says Barbara Alupo, a Curator at UWEC, adding that it feeds on grains, insects, and leafy vegetables, as well as food provided by the Zoo keepers.
“We are carrying out a significant amount of construction, so we had to relocate the birds. We do not have a clear wetland at the moment,” she says.
Alupo anticipates that the reconstruction of the aviary, which is home to the captive birds, will be completed in the near future.
As a result, the Crested Crane lives at the hospital, while management works around the clock to finish construction at Entebbe Zoo. She says that the construction will not affect the wild character of the crested crane.
“I know that these are untamed creatures, destined to thrive within their natural habitat. They will still exhibit wild characters,” she says, adding that the crested crane is much sought after.
According to Achilles Byaruhanga, the executive director of Nature Uganda, a suitable habitat is a game changer for crowned cranes.
He noted that many zoos around the world have reported breeding Crested Cranes. “The cranes breed in zoos if there is a suitable habitat.”
From 100,000 to 10,000
He estimated global population of crowned cranes is approximately 30,000. Estimates place the population in Uganda at 10,000. “We had a population estimated at 100,000 in the 1970s, adding that the biggest challenge in Uganda is habitat loss. “The wetland loss is proportional to Uganda’s loss of wetlands,” said Byaruhanga.
He pointed out that habitat loss exposes Crested Cranes to the dangers of persecution, capture, killing, and poisoning.
“This means there is less habitat for breeding, exposing them to danger,” he said.
Byaruhanga also pointed out that they are working with communities to conserve the largest population of crowned cranes and their habitats in Rubanda district, Lwengo district, and parts of eastern Uganda.
He also emphasized that people revere the Crested Crane as a national bird or symbol and love it for its gracefulness. He also pointed out that it chooses a partner for life and is an indicator of wetland conservation.
One of the wildlife attractions that tourists are interested in is the Crested crane. By 2020, tourism was Uganda’s top revenue earner.
