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February 08, 2006
Wattled Crane Recovery Programme
With the backing of the Johannesburg Zoo, a Wattled Crane recovery programme is underway and set to expand dramatically over the next 5 years. The South African Wattled Crane may be genetically unique from all other Wattled Cranes in Africa, making the success of a captive breeding program ever more urgent to prevent local extinction of this species. This coupled with the fact that Wattled Cranes have the lowest reproductive success of all the crane species, makes the Wattled Crane Recovery Programme one of South Africa’s most crucial and challenging conservation projects.
Wattled Crane, Ethiopia, Bale Mountains November 2005 © János Oláh Jr. from the Surfbirds Galleries
The Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) is one of only three crane species indigenous to South Africa and is the most critically endangered crane species on the African continent. Due to habitat loss and poor reproductive success there has been a 35% decline in the South African Wattled Crane population over the last two decades. The current in situ population in South Africa consists of approximately 235 (Crane census 2004) birds.
Concern over the continuing decline of the small in situ population and low fertility in situ and ex situ, led to a Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) workshop held in July 2000. One outcome of the PHVA was to recognize the need for a captive propagation and release program to insure species survival by creating a viable genetic reservoir.
WATTLED CRANE RECOVERY PROGRAMME:
AIM:
To reverse the trend towards local extinction of the Wattled Crane in South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
To build up a viable captive flock of Wattled Cranes (40 individuals) as quickly as possible in order to:
1) Serve as a genetic reservoir in the case of catastrophic extinction of birds in the wild.
2) Supplement the wild population through the raising of chicks for reintroduction.
CURRENT CHALLENGES:
Currently, the program faces the following challenges:
o The Wattled Crane has the lowest reproductive rate (in situ and ex situ) of all the crane species.
o The sex ratio of the current breeding population is 1: 2.5 (males to females). Multiple pairing is not possible due to the monogamous nature of Wattled Cranes.
o The overall reproductive success of the breeding flock has not been sufficient enough to create a reservoir of birds for release.
o Worldwide, the fertility in captive Wattled Cranes is extremely low.
o Standard artificial insemination techniques have not proven to be as successful in Wattled Cranes as compared to other crane species.
o Dietary and breeding requirements for this species have not been fully established.
o The lack of a central facility for the breeding flock has resulted in inconsistent husbandry and reproductive practices.
o The lack of a dedicated chick rearing facility has resulted in sub optimal survival.
o The program relies heavily volunteer participation, as there is no full time staff.
Posted by Surfbirds at February 8, 2006 06:39 AM
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