The Rwanda Development Board is calling for Government protection of the Grey Crowned Crane (known as Imisambi in Kinyarwanda) as a shocking decline of Grey Crowned Cranes numbers has been reported in Rwanda.
Human activities are the main factors leading to the decline of the population of Grey Crowned Cranes with these activities restricting the breeding success.
Additionally, Grey Crowned Crane habitat has been lost or degraded due to the rapid increase in the human population.
Most importantly, the Grey Crowned Cranes are threatened by their removal from the wild. The practice of illegal removal from the wild and domesticating Grey Crowned Cranes is rampant throughout Rwanda and if not stopped, the species may disappear in the wild.
Grey Crowned Cranes are found as pets at some hotels, households, exported by illegal wildlife traders, and have a role in traditional medicine and local cultural beliefs.
An awareness campaign to discourage the collection of Grey Crowned Cranes from the wild is ongoing. The Rwanda Development Board and its stakeholders would also like to let the general public know that existing legislation stipulated in the organic law N° 04/2005 of 08/04/2005., penal code and ministerial orders No.007/2008 of 15/08/2008 will be applied to whoever keeps Grey Crowned Cranes in captivity illegally, collects them or their eggs from the wild.
For those who already own Grey Crowned Cranes and want to help these birds to get back to their natural habitat, please contact us on any of the numbers or e-mails below”.
Source: RDB
UM– USEKE.RW
