The Overberg Crane Group assisted the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) with the capture and fitting of a tracking device on a Blue crane.
The crane was one of two that were captured and ringed in the Caledon district. The adult crane was also fitted with a tracking device.
The device will provide information as to the movement of the bird across its range. This information can in turn be used to provide input into wind energy and power line infrastructure developments. It will also be used to better understand the impacts of climate change in the Overberg.
Andre Botha and Lourens Leeuwner of the EWT, Kevin Shaw of CapeNature and Keir Lynch of the Overberg Crane Group and Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust were on hand to ensure that the birds were captured, ringed and released with as little stress as possible.
Blue cranes rings help to identify individual birds, to also better understand their migratory movements in South Africa. This helps to protect the last remaining 25,000 Blue cranes.
Spectacular flocks of cranes were present during the morning of the capture, and at one time close to one hundred birds were congregating in the fields while Cape Clapper Larks displayed in the surrounding renosterveld.