Species Spotlight
Rwanda ’ s Grey Crowned Cranes and the Rugezi Marsh : A Delicate Dance of Survival
Runway-ready , the exquisite Endangered Grey Crowned Crane is the only crane species in Rwanda . This winged beauty once existed peacefully in the high-elevation Rugezi Marsh in northern Rwanda . But today , the crane faces localized extinction as agriculture and development encroach on the fragile Rugezi swamp .
Rwanda is known as the “ land of a thousand hills ” and Rugezi Marsh is located at an elevation of 7,000 feet . This tropical peatland habitat covers nearly 15,000 acres and consists of shallow water channels , tall , flowering papyrus reeds , other sedges and vast grasslands that provide an ideal breeding and foraging site for these graceful birds .
As Rwanda ' s human population continues to grow , the demand for land and resources increases . Most of the high elevation wetlands in Rwanda like Rugezi have already been drained for tea production . That and illegal poaching fueled by poverty are preventing the cranes from finding suitable nesting sites . Scientists estimate the crane ’ s global population will have dropped as much as 79 % between 1985 and 2030 . This drastic decline is attributed to habitat loss , fragmentation and the unlawful removal of the birds and their eggs for food , traditional medicine use and the illegal wildlife trade market .
One-quarter of the Rwandan Grey Crowned Crane population depends on the marsh and , its abundant and diverse aquatic plant life . Plants here serve as food sources and play a vital role in stabilizing the marsh ecosystem by preventing erosion of the fertile volcanic soil and maintaining water quality . Plucking insects , small reptiles and plant material from the marsh , the crane ensures a balanced ecological cycle within the wetland , one of the headwaters of the Nile River .
Previously , the Grey Crowned Crane ’ s population had been reduced to a single non-breeding visitor at Rugezi Marsh . With protection efforts enabling the crane population to rise again , most recently to 221 individuals recorded , it is essential that this success continues and is not reversed .
Rainforest Trust and our partner , Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association , are working with the Rwandan government to create a new 14,857-acre National Park to protect the entire Rugezi Marsh — the first in Rwanda that is exclusively a wetland — for these imperiled birds and many other species . Sustainable conservation of this tropical peatland is the only way to ensure that these endangered cranes will have a future here .
top flying grey crowned crane | martin mecnarowski
6 grey crowned crane with baby | pruit phatsrivong