With its golden crest and graceful courtship dance, the Grey Crowned Crane has long stood as a symbol of beauty and resilience in East Africa. But the bird’s future is now hanging in the balance. On June 26, conservationists from Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi gathered in Nyagatare District, eastern Rwanda, to discuss regional cooperation for biodiversity conservation—particularly for the Grey Crowned Crane. The move comes amid mounting threats, including illegal capture, habitat destruction, and increasing human-wildlife conflict—all of which are pushing the bird toward extinction. ALSO READ: Nyagatare: Ten grey cranes poisoned, suspect apprehended According to Emmanuel Mgimwa, who works with Nature Tanzania, a conservation NGO in Tanzania, like in many other East African countries, Grey Crowned Cranes in Tanzania are under serious threat. He said that the biggest challenge is habitat loss. As a developing country, they are under pressure to expand farmland and ensure food security, which often leads to wetland degradation, the primary habitat for these birds. “There’s growing human-wildlife conflict. Farmers sometimes view cranes as pests, believing they destroy crops. This negative perception leads to direct harm: eggs are destroyed, chicks are killed, and even adult birds are targeted. We also face illegal poaching driven by belief-based practices in some communities.” Nature Tanzania is addressing these issues through a community-based conservation approach. “We work with the people who live alongside these birds—farmers, fishermen, and herders. They are the real custodians,” he said. “Fishermen near nesting areas, who were once a threat, have been supported to build modern markets. In return, they now help protect cranes. We’ve turned potential threats into guardians—and it’s working.” ALSO READ: Rugezi wetland records surge in grey-crowned crane population With support from Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA), trained community champions now use drones and smartphones to monitor crane breeding, roosting, and movement,” Mgimwa explained. In Rwanda, most Grey Crowned Cranes live along border regions—Nyagatare, Rugezi Marsh, the Kanyaru River, and parts of Akagera National Park. According to Deo Ruhagazi, RWCA’s Deputy Director, GPS tagging of cranes has revealed frequent cross-border movements. “These birds cross into neighbouring countries but tend to return to their usual sites,” Ruhagazi said. “That shows us clearly—conservation cannot stop at national borders. If one country protects them and another doesn’t, we all lose. Cranes often live in wetlands, in the same areas as farmers and livestock.” Rwanda has emerged as a continental leader in crane conservation. Between 2017 and 2024, the country increased its crane population from 487 to 1,293. This growth is the result of a comprehensive effort involving scientific monitoring, law enforcement, and grassroots education. Rwanda Development Board (RDB), through Richard Muvunyi, a Wildlife Health and Research Coordinator, emphasized that: “We must work together to harmonise our laws, share data, and educate communities—whether through schools, cooperatives, or local leaders.” ALSO READ: Rwandan vet wins Rwf190m award for protecting grey crowned cranes He reminded conservationists that: “This species knows no borders, and neither should our commitment to protect it. That is why a shared conservation agenda matters—not only for the survival of this beautiful bird, but also for the resilience of the wetlands, landscapes, and communities that support it.” In Uganda, the crane is not just any bird—it is a national symbol, proudly displayed on our coat of arms. The Ugandan government is restoring degraded wetlands and strengthening cross-border conservation, but has imposed strict penalties, including a minimum 10-year prison sentence for poaching, according to Vincent Barugahare, the Assistant Commissioner at the Ministry of Water and Environment. “We have launched a large-scale wetland restoration and protection programme. This involves preserving intact wetlands and rehabilitating degraded ones. Once restored, these wetlands become safe breeding grounds for the cranes. Secondly, Uganda has enacted laws to protect endangered species, including the Grey Crowned Crane. The penalties are serious—anyone caught with a crane faces a minimum sentence of ten years in prison. This shows our government's strong commitment.” ALSO READ: Rwanda’s crane population doubles in five years While in Nyagatare, the conservationists, policy makers, and government representatives, agreed on conserving a 24,000-square-kilometre transboundary wetland conservation zone mapped across the four countries. It spans Kagera and Karagwe in Tanzania, Ntungamo, Kabale and Kisoro in Uganda, and the Kanyaru region straddling Rwanda and Burundi. Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association’s 2024 highlights show that 1,293 cranes were sighted during the national census, 189,921 community members engaged in conservation education, 36,230 trees were planted for habitat restoration and 32,940 school children educated on biodiversity.
