Conservationists have expressed concern that as Rwanda continues to experience significant economic growth and development, with a demand to transform wetlands into agricultural land, the grey crowned crane, are increasingly becoming endangered due to marshland degradation and rare domestication.
Such crisis is taking place while these birds are regarded as a symbol of wealth and longevity, and emblematic.
While the World is coping with some completely destroyed animal species, in Rwanda also there is a concern of conserving the grey crowned crane so that they may not extinct.
Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in partnership with Rwanda wildlife conservation Association in November 2019 warned the environment destroyers especially wildlife traders, for their illegal wildlife actions that such actions are punishable.
Nowadays, the illegal wildlife actions have significantly been reduced owing to various measures set by Rwanda Development Board to deal with poaching and illegal wildlife trade including enhancing awareness around wildlife trade laws in the efforts to combat trafficking.
When wildlife is to be completely destroyed, human life is endangered. In order to cope with the wildlife crimes specifically Grey Crowned Cranes based, Rwanda wildlife conservation Association has started wetland conservation activities for protecting them in different areas.
Nibishaka Faustin working with Nyabihu Tourism Cooperative is one of the conservationists Champion in the Valley of Bihinga, and 2 litle Lakes of Cyunyu and Nyirakigugu in Nyabihu District, Western Province. Grey Crowned Cranes are also located in Bugesera district, Eastern province.
Nibishaka says poachers abuses Grey Crowned Cranes. “The poachers attack Grey Crowned Cranes for food reasons, others for their eggs to illegally sell them to market that I don’t know.” Nibishaka says.
Other wetlands for conservation of Grey Crowned Cranes are located in the Northern Province, Musanze district, Gicumbi, Rulindo, Burera. In Western Province is Karongi district, Nyamasheke and Nyabihu. In Southern Province Grey Crowned Cranes are found in Nyamagabe districts of, Huye, Nyanza and Gisagara. In Eastern Province Grey Crowned Cranes are found in Kayonza district, Gatsibo and Nyagatare district whereas in City of Kigali are found in Gasabo district, Kabuga Sector.
In 2017 Rwanda wildlife conservation Association counted 487 cranes, in 2018, it counted 459 cranes and in 2019 it counted a whopping 748! RWCA now want to collaborate with neighboring countries so as to better monitor cranes that fly in other countries namely Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo).
