this depressing note in from the International Crane Foundation.
"""
We have found that
South Africa , Kenya ,
Uganda ,
Mali and
Nigeria are all exporting cranes as
well and these are only the countries we looked at so there may
be more. """"What a mess and none of the International NGOs are doing anything about it.
CITES, TRAFFIC, Birdlife International & the RSPB actually encourage this trade as they remain convinced that poor Africans benefit from it. Not that they know any of course. That's how far out of touch these conservation bureaucrats have become.
Our Wattled Cranes now well below 200 birds, perhaps even less than 100 in total.
Grey Crowned Cranes continue to "hang on" in small numbers in protected areas but, well, do we have any evidence that we have as many as 1000 left.
No reports of "numbers" from anyone in recent years. What about that non-breeding flock of > 100 on West Kilimanjaro. Any recent sightings ?
There is good historical data from the NCA, any recent counts out there ?
Can't think of anything polite to say about this.
Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0786-404792 and 0784-834273.
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