N3 Toll Concession supports Crane Foundation

Careful planning went into the construction of this unique Wattled Crane nursery which is now ready to welcome its first Wattled Crane chicks. This is an isolation-rearing facility and was officially opened on Saturday, 28 June.

Over the last three decades, conservationists in North America have successfully released human-reared cranes into the wild using isolation- and costume-rearing techniques. Human caretakers are dressed in costumes and mimic the behaviour of adult cranes while rearing the chicks and teaching them the skills they need to survive in the wild. Young cranes never come in direct contact with human beings. Once the chicks are old enough, they are released into Wattled Crane flocks.

Techniques adapted

Local conservationists adapted these techniques for use in South Africa. The Wattled Crane Recovery Programme was initiated to rear Wattled Cranes in captivity. The group is keenly focused on curbing the dwindling numbers of Wattled Cranes.

When the KwaZulu-Natal Crane Foundation's new chick rearing facility is opened, costumed caretakers will be ready to rear the first chicks, teaching them to forage during daily excursions to the natural grasslands and wetlands in the reserve.
The chicks will remain in the nursery until they are old enough to withstand the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands temperatures at which time they will be moved to the wetland pens where they will learn to roost in water to avoid predators at night. A small dam has been constructed especially for this purpose at the nursery.

No effort has been spared to design and construct a state-of-the art conservation facility. Not only is the Wattled Crane rearing facility in an ecologically-sensitive environment, but sustainable and environmentally-friendly principals have been applied in its construction.

Rarest species

The entire conservation structure was constructed at a cost of R1.3m. It will now play a key part in the race to save South Africa's critically endangered Wattled Cranes. Time is running out for this bird species, which is the largest and rarest of the crane species in Africa. Only 260 birds remain in vastly restricted natural habitats in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and north-eastern Free State.

"Our partnership in this incredible nursery development is key to securing a sustainable environment well beyond our 30-year concession period that ends in 2029. We hope to continue playing our part in protecting the natural habitats and endangered bird species in the remaining 15 years of our concession period to leave a legacy for generations to come," says Con Roux, N3TC's commercial manager.