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Saving cranes and the places where cranes dance

Volume 43, Number 1 February 2017 Black Crowned Cranes T h r e at e n e d J e w e l o f t h e S a h e l By Richard Beilfuss, President & CEO and Kerryn Morrison, Program Leader

rom the Atlantic coast of Senegal to the Valley of In recent decades, however, the , the semi-arid zone of Ethiopia, the floodplains of the African Sahel were once transition in Africa between the Desert to the north an for wildlife and nomadic herders. The Black and the lush green savannas to the south, has been ravaged by FCrowned – the Jewel of the Sahel –was common across climate change, warfare, and increasing competition for food, the and a flagship for the most important floodplains of fuel, and . Black Crowned Cranes there are in serious West and . trouble. Now classified as “Vulnerable,” Continued on page 2

The Casamance Delta of Senegal is a fragile stronghold for threatened Black Crowned Cranes and many other . From reducing local nest disturbance to abating global climate change, urgent action is needed at many levels to ensure the future of this species, and the people who share this landscape. Photo by Kerryn Morrison Continued from page 1 Directors Black Crowned Cranes have disappeared from former strongholds The floodplains where Black Crowned Cranes nest are increasingly Richard Beilfuss, Madison, WI (President & CEO) James Brumm, New York, NY (Chair) Notes from the President like the Inner of , and although the national of saline. The local people attribute this to climate change – higher Urban Lehner, Newport, OR (Vice Chair) By Rich Beilfuss Nigeria, they are now extinct in that country. The vast Sudd of South temperatures and increasing evaporation, coupled with decreasing Charles Gibbons, Jupiter, FL (Treasurer) George Archibald, Baraboo, WI (Co-Founder) , where tens of thousands of Black Crowned Cranes were once rainfall across the region. Studies back this up, but the rapid impact Roberta Asher, River Forest, IL Now More Than Ever! recorded, has suffered chronic warfare, and key breeding grounds in of this change is startling. A massive die-off of forest Steven Becker, Glen Ellyn, IL Cameroon and Chad are under severe threat from Islamist militant and mangrove is occurring over great distances, with stumps of Larry Benjamin, Lake Forest, IL Leslie Coolidge, Barrington Hills, IL groups. The challenges are immense. trees appearing as watery tombstones. This salinization is causing A. Sidney England, Davis, CA he New Year has already made one thing waterbirds, is Fortunately, a few hardships for families, who Steve Euller, Minneapolis, MN clear: The cranes of the world need us now suffering from Ann Hamilton, Houston, TX strongholds remain for Black must dig deeper and deeper more than ever. multiple threats – the impacts of dams, sand wells each year to find fresh Hall Healy, Glencoe, IL T dredging, increasingly erratic rainfall patterns, Crowned Cranes, and two Mirabel Helme, United Kingdom In January, we received the devastating news water to meet their needs. are in Senegal. Last October, Heather Henson, New York, NY that another Endangered was and human encroachment. A proposed outlet Robert Hoguet, New York, NY we traveled to Senegal to As shot, this time in Indiana. We are sad and we dam could further stress the system by preventing Paul King, Vancouver, WA natural water fluctuations and associated water intensify our conservation disappears, they Nancy Merrill, Hayden, CO are angry about this loss. We will not allow this impact for this beleaguered are increasingly exposed to Patti Brash McKeithan, River Hills, WI event to set the tone quality that maintains the primary food source Janet McKenna, Brookfield, WI species through renewed capture for international trade for the New Year and for Siberian Cranes and David H. Myers, Idaho Falls, ID many other species of partnership, investment, and and regional domestication. Margery Nicolson, Pacific Palisades, CA – with your help – we action in coastal . Many cranes in West Africa Hugh O’Halloran, Jackson, WY are committed to conservation concern. Jeanne Prochnow, Milwaukee, WI Our trip began with the 14th are fully domesticated and ensuring that justice This project, and threats Paul Robbins, Madison, WI to the lake, were recently Pan African Ornithological roam about like chickens or Jennifer Perkins Speers, Salt Lake City, UT is served and future Congress in Senegal, an peacocks, a status symbol William Smith, Shell Lake, WI shootings are deterred. highlighted in The New Jeffrey Sundberg, Libertyville, IL York Times and Huffington important gathering of for hotels, businesses, and Timothy Tuff, Atlanta, GA Through our I Give a African bird conservationists compounds (see Whoop campaign, we Post. We have been that occurs every four Saving Imisambi on page Other Officers are drawing national collaborating closely with years. We met conservation 5 to learn more about how Robert Dohmen, Mequon, WI attention to the plight our Chinese colleagues at (Secretary) Poyang Lake since 1985, leaders from more than 25 we are working to get other James Harris, Baraboo, WI and Harbin, China of Whooping Cranes, African countries and held captive cranes back into the (Senior Vice President) and the steps you can and we continue to work a special session for crane wild). These captive Tom Hecht, Madison, WI take to help safeguard Critically Endangered Siberian Cranes at Poyang urgently on the ground (Vice President-Development) conservation work in Africa. are usually malnourished, them. We are advising Lake, China. Photo by Zheng Zhongjie to safeguard this most Roger Hoeger, DeForest, WI important wetland in . One significant conservation and have short lives, fueling (Vice President and CFO) judges and attorneys on leader in Senegal is Idrissa the demand to take more Kim Smith, Baraboo, WI tough sentencing for Whooping Crane shootings These are just two examples of why our work is (Vice President-Headquarters Operations) Ndiaye, who has worked from the wild. Presumably, that will serve as a true deterrent to these criminal so important and how we are uniquely positioned tirelessly for Black Crowned because they are frequently acts. We are deeply committed to the future of the to focus on the challenges cranes face. This year, Cranes in Senegal for more captured in the region, wild Follow us on social media! last remaining wild flock of Whooping Cranes wherever there are cranes and in whatever way than a decade. Idrissa is a Black Crowned Cranes are that migrates between Canada and , and the they need us – we will be there – now more than field biologist who connects incredibly skittish around establishment of a separate, secure flock in the ever. We’ll keep you informed every step of the deeply with the communities people. We struggled most of eastern U.S. and . way and may ask for your help as it’s needed. We the time to get within a few who live near cranes, and Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, are grateful knowing that you stand at the ready. hundred feet of the cranes – has added much to our Critically Endangered Siberian Cranes are facing From local shootings to large-scale habitat threats they were constantly on alert knowledge of the nesting a daunting challenge. China’s Poyang Lake, the in places like China, our job is to find solutions and flew within seconds of and foraging ecology of the winter habitat for the estimated 3,600 remaining for cranes around the world… and we are making our car or boat stopping. species, and the management Siberian Cranes and more than 400,000 an impact every single day. I invite you challenges they face. After Despite these daunting to follow our latest news by joining our the conference, we travelled Senegalese conservation leader Idrissa Ndiaye discovers a nest with three Black challenges, we left Senegal social media community. Here’s to a Crowned Crane . Photo by Rich Beilfuss The Bugle is the quarterly newsletter for members with Idrissa to the two Black with new hope for the of the International Crane Foundation. ICF was successful year of saving cranes and the Crowned Crane strongholds species. We were especially founded in 1973 by Ronald Sauey, Ph.D. (1948 - places where cranes dance! of Senegal – the Senegal on the far northern border with encouraged by the wonderful community groups organized by 1987) and George Archibald, Ph.D. Mauritania, and the Casamance Delta on the far southern border Idrissa, who have made the Black Crowned Crane their totem and Editor: Betsy Didrickson Bugle comments or questions? This Endangered Whooping Crane (#4- with Bissau. As many as 3,000 Black Crowned Cranes may have dedicated themselves to watching over the birds and their Please write Betsy at [email protected] or 11), one of just 450 of her species left in still occur across this region, giving us hope for the future. . Efforts are underway to restore water and vegetation in these P.O. Box 447, Baraboo, WI 53913 the wild, was shot last month. With the vast floodplains. Lessons from the great work of Olivier Nsengimana Memberships make our work possible. Please We learned much from Idrissa and the communities we visited. We join or give a gift membership to a friend at the loss of this breeding female, we mourn in Rwanda can help us return domesticated cranes safely to the spent several days searching for crownie nests, and we were surprised following annual rates: not only a beautiful individual, but also wild. Our renewed efforts to protect the cranes in peaceful Senegal to learn that their nests are more similar to the highly-aquatic Wattled Student or Senior Citizen...... $25 the future generations she was likely to and coastal West Africa, as well as our ongoing efforts to save the Crane than their close relative the . The nests are Individual...... $35 produce. Photo by Bob Herndon a simple platform made of reeds and grasses and surrounded by deep Black Crowned Crane in Ethiopia, are of utmost importance to keep Family...... $50 Associate...... $100 water. The chicks must swim to higher ground – sometimes more than this species in the wild while we wait for a better future in much of West and Central Africa. Many thanks to Bob Dohmen who provided Sustaining...... $250 50 meters – within a few days of hatching. We discovered one of only Sponsor...... $500 three nests ever found at Djoudj National Park, and about 15 nests at support for this trip and our deeper involvement in West Africa through Patron...... $1,000 his campaign gift. Benefactor...... $2,000 Casamance – and evidence of many more. Cranemaker...... $10,000

2. The Bugle - Vol. 43, No. 1 - February 2017 The Bugle - Vol. 43, No. 1 - February 2017 3. S a v i n g C r a n e s Saving Imisambi and the Places Where Cranes Dance C r a n e s a r e n o t p e t s !

By Darcy Love, Creative Design and Conservation In the last issue of the Bugle, you learned about our revitalized work in Education Manager Myanmar. Just after that publication, our Myanmar Crane Team learned that a farmer in the Irrawaddy Delta took two chicks from their nest to n Rwanda, the illegal trade of Imisambi, raise as pets. Our team on the ground headed directly to the village to talk to the or Grey Crowned Cranes, is fueled by farmer and to return the chicks back to the nest. After the dramatic rescue on domestic demand and a lack of knowledge Thanksgiving Day, and restoration to the nest, the crane parents arrived within a Iabout the bird’s precarious status in the wild. few minutes and the family was reunited. I Imisambi are considered status symbols. Affluent citizens, hoteliers, and restaurateurs But our work wasn’t done. often them in their homes and The Myanmar Crane Team continued to watch over the crane family, and businesses. To meet the demand, poachers took the opportunity to share information with local villagers about crane 2017 enlist children living near crane marshes to conservation. The Myanmar population of Sarus Cranes, estimated at only 500 collect eggs and chicks from nests. Rwandan in the wild, is the smallest and least known of the four distinct populations of BIRD-A-THON veterinarian Olivier Nsengimana recognized the Sarus Crane, but we are learning more every day. that he needed to educate these youngsters if Support a he was going to save Rwanda’s Grey Crowned Your support allowed us to be there when Cranes from disappearing in the wild. The cranes were plentiful when he was a young we were needed most! Spring Tradition boy filling his water bucket at the wetland, but since then, he has witnessed their dramatic decline and dealt with the health issues of captive cranes held in inadequate conditions. Our Co-Founder George Archibald will be The International Crane Foundation recently breaking out his binoculars on May 10, 2017 collaborated with Olivier to create a comic to see how many species he can tally this book to spread the word about the plight of the year. Please support George and his team The Imisambi to the children living near the cranes. Craniacs by pledging a specific dollar amount The story along with colorful illustrations by per species or by making a fixed gift. The funds South African artist Sally Barrett inspire young raised help us work around the world to save readers to respect and protect Grey Crowned cranes and the places where cranes dance! Cranes. The comic book is available in English Dr. Olivier and the first recipients of Kubungabunga Imisambi Yo Mu Rwanda, or Saving Please visit our website for more information and Kinyarwanda. The first printing of Saving Grey Crowned Cranes in Rwanda. Photo by Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association or to make your donation. Gifts of $25 or Rwanda’s Grey Crowned Cranes, and perhaps more will receive a one-year membership to the future of Imisambi in Rwanda, is now in the International Crane Foundation. their hands! We piloted the comic book with a group of children who live near Rugezi www.savingcranes.org/bird-a-thon/ Photo by Dr. Myo Sandar Winn Marsh and they loved it! They were so excited to have their own copy and Questions? Please contact Jennifer Fiene were really engaged. We now plan to distribute copies more widely to school at 608-356-9462 ext. 151 or email info@ environmental clubs around Rugezi Marsh. – Olivier Nsengimana Thank you for joining us in a mission that transcends geography savingcranes.org. and culture – a mission in which a family of magnificent, endangered birds are truly ambassadors for the welfare of , grasslands, entire watersheds, long flyways, people, and goodwill worldwide. Please make your gift today to help us continue this BUY A BOOK – GIVE A BOOK! important work. For each book purchased, a comic book will be donated to a child in Rwanda. Saving Rwanda’s Grey Crowned Cranes! Call: 608-356-9462 A true wildlife adventure to save an . Meet Dr. Olivier, learn about his Ways to Give Donate at: savingcranes.org, or project to save Grey Crowned Cranes, and be inspired to help him. 10 color pages | English Return the envelope in this issue! edition | Price: $7.95. Shop online at www.craneshop.org, email: giftshop@savingcranes. org, or call 608-356-9462 ext. 171. Photos by Ted Thousand

4. TheThe BugleICF Bugle - Vol. - 43,Vol. No. 40, 1 No. - February 2 - May 20142017 5. The Bugle - Vol. 43, No. 1 - February 2017 5. 2017 Calendar of Events ince 2004, the International Crane Foundation Lasting Impact Coming Home Shas participated in an annual Fall Survey sponsored by the US & Wildlife 2016 Annual Report Service. The purpose of the count is to develop a Annual Midwest Crane Count Whooping Crane Day to Roost population index for the number of Sandhill Cranes We are pleased to present our Annual Saturday, April 8, 2017 Sunday, May 28, 2017 By Anne Lacy, Crane Research Coordinator in the Eastern Migratory Population. During the Join over 2,000 volunteers spanning the upper Learn about the threats that face the Report 2016. During this fiscal year, second week of November, our staff and volunteers Midwest for the 2017 Annual Midwest Crane Whooping Crane and what we are we were able to make important and gather equipment, clipboards, and head to four Count as we monitor the return of Sandhill doing to help them. Special programs lasting impacts for cranes and the sites along the River, and our study area and Whooping Cranes to their northern by our staff will focus on the recovery inspiring, beautiful places they share near Briggsville, Wisconsin. From a good vantage breeding grounds. of one of ’s rarest birds. with people around the world. We hope point, we count birds as they float down at the end you enjoy this collection of highlights of the day to the sandbars and shallow they Open for the Season! An Evening with the Cranes from the year, but more importantly, we have probably used for millennia. Some area counts Saturday, April 15, 2017 Saturday, June 17, 2017 hope you are proud of the investment are sparse – only a few hundred, but others are Daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Learn about cranes Enjoy a magical evening sampling you’ve made. We are diligent with your spectacular and perhaps unbelievable if we hadn’t and our conservation work around the world local gourmet food, craft beer, and investment and Charity Navigator, witnessed them with our own eyes – over 10,000! on a guided tour. Explore nature trails, take wines, while enjoying live music, and the leading independent charity Our counts are combined with others from the upper home a memento from our unique gift shop, of course – cranes! Check our website watchdog, agrees. They have awarded Midwest to arrive at an estimate of the number of and discover our interactive exhibits. for updated information and ticket the International Crane Foundation Sandhills gracing our skies each fall, and yes, the purchases. a four-star rating, recognizing us for successful comeback of this iconic species continues! exceeding industry standards in the North American Cranes Each year as we count thousands of cranes so close areas of nonprofit financial health, to Aldo Leopold’s shack – it’s difficult to believe there Festival accountability, and transparency. were so few, if any, on the river during his time. Saturday, July 1, 2017 A Tale of Two Cranes! Discover the We are committed to continuing to contrasting stories of the Sandhill and operate at the highest standard, so we Whooping Crane. Engage in special can make the greatest difference for talks and family activities on this day cranes and the places where cranes celebrating the two crane species in dance. The report is available to W h o o p e r W h e r e a b o u t s North America. download at: www.savingcranes.org/ Cranes of the World Festival annual-report/ 2016 Parent-reared Whooping Crane Cohort Saturday, August 5, 2017 By Hillary Thompson, North America Program – Crane Analyst Don’t miss this family-friendly day with guided nature walks, special programs, and presentations. nicely into the flock. The rest of the eight juvenile cranes migrated on their own, in pairs, or Member Appreciation Day and ANNUAL in one case, with a pair of adults. REPORT 2016 Annual Member Meeting International Crane Foundation • Two adult Whooping Cranes adopted chick #30-16 into their “family” and led him south Saturday, September 23, 2017 April 2015-March 2016 Join us as we celebrate YOU for making on migration. The family made it as far south as St. Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge in a difference for cranes! , but they are now in Floyd County, Georgia. Good Neighbor Day • Female #69-16 migrated south with Sandhill Cranes to Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama early in the season, where she quickly joined a “family” of Whooping Cranes Saturday, October 28, 2017 and has regularly been seen with this pair, who lost their chick earlier in the summer. Bring a non-perishable food item donation to the International Crane Juvenile and adult Whooping Cranes socializing • Female #33-16 made an early departure from Wisconsin and spent time in Iowa before Foundation for the Baraboo Food at Wheeler NWR. Photo by Russ Thompson moving to Tennessee and eventually to Florida, where she has been hanging out with a pair Pantry and receive FREE admission to of Whooping Cranes from the Florida Non-migratory Population. see the world’s cranes. y early December, all of the 2016 parent- • Two juveniles, #29-16 and #39-16, were released together in Adams County, Wisconsin, Mother’s Day Event reared Whooping Cranes slated for B migrated together, and are now wintering together in Dyer County, Tennessee. Sunday, May 14, 2017 Gates Close for the Season reintroduction began their migration from Tuesday, October 31, 2017 Mom gets in FREE on Mother’s Day. Treat Wisconsin – all except one! Due to adverse • The other duo of juveniles, #31-16 and #38-16, initially migrated to Crittenden County, Stay in touch with us throughout the your mom to a relaxing day in nature with weather conditions, lack of available food, and no Kentucky, but later moved to Poinsett County, Arkansas. year. Sign up for email updates and join guided tours, family activities, and nature sign of movement, male #70-16 was captured by our social media community! • Lastly, female #71-16 migrated to Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson hikes. ($9.50 value). our field team on December 12, and was relocated County, Indiana, where she is spending the winter with a flock of Sandhill Cranes. to a wintering hotspot for Whooping Cranes at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama. So far, all of the juveniles in this cohort have found good wintering habitat, and some have He made friends quickly – associating with other even found other Whooping Cranes. It is possible they will move again, but they are all doing Whooping Cranes at the refuge, and assimilating well so far, and we look forward to seeing them back in Wisconsin in spring!

6. The Bugle - Vol. 43, No. 1 - February 2017 The Bugle - Vol. 43, No. 1 - February 2017 7. International Crane Foundation E11376 Shady Lane Rd. P.O. Box 447 Baraboo, WI 53913-0447 www.savingcranes.org

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The International Crane Foundation is a Travel Green destination. www.travelgreenwisconsin.com Enjoy a magical evening on our beautiful grounds in Baraboo, Wisconsin. An Evening with the Cranes will be held rain or shine on June 17, 2017. The Bugle is printed on recycled paper with non-VOC soy inks. C Newsletter is also available in digital format. EWatch for updates and ticket sales on our website at www.savingcranes.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017 SAVE THE DATE!

AN EVENING WITH THE CRANES