Saturday, May 03, 2025
Rugezi, Rwanda
Their white wings stretched under the sun’s rays, imposing Rwandan gray crowned cranes fly over the marshes of the small Great Lakes African country, where the species is making an extraordinary comeback.
The resurgence of these migratory birds is due to the work of Olivier Nsengimana, a veterinarian and former gorilla doctor, to protect their natural habitat.
“The crowned crane is generally a symbol of wealth and longevity. It’s also a sign that the marsh is in good health,” he tells AFP.
The vast Rugezi swamp in northern Rwanda, not far from the Ugandan border, has become a haven for the species, which stands around 1.2 meters tall and has a wingspan of over two meters.
But their numbers have dwindled due to the disappearance of their habitat and the fact that these birds are sought after as exotic pets, often injured and unable to reproduce – their species mates for life.
These golden-crested birds play an essential role in the swamp ecosystem and food chain, according to Mr. Nsengimana.
“Their absence in this kind of ecosystem could unbalance the populations of certain species, perhaps increase their numbers,” he says.
Their resurgence is thanks to the veterinarian and former gorilla doctor’s work protecting their natural habitat in a country better known for its misty peaks than damp swamps. The sprawling Rugezi swamp has become a refuge for the grey crowned cranes, which stand some 1.2 metres tall and have a wingspan of over two metres. (Photo by Paloma Laudet / AFP)
In 2015, he created the Association pour la conservation de la nature au Rwanda (ACNR), which supports 75 rangers, a third of them women, who have helped increase the number of cranes from 300 to 1,293.
“We’re developing a more educational approach, finding solutions, rather than punishing,” he adds.
On Wednesday, the British charity Whitley Fund for Nature will present him with the Gold Award, a prize of £100,000 (117,555 euros), in recognition of his work.
– “I was a hunter” –
“Before I joined the rangers, I was a swamp hunter myself. I used to steal the eggs, capture the cranes and take them home with me,” explains Jean-Paul Munezero, head ranger of the Rugezi Marsh NRCA. “I stopped hunting them and became their protector.”
But there’s still a long way to go, he says, with his men constantly patrolling the marsh, parts of which remain hotbeds of illegal activity.
To divert people away from livelihoods that harm the marshes, which are disappearing three times faster than forests worldwide, ACNR has encouraged the development of new industries.
Vestine Kabihogo explains that her change of profession has been beneficial.
Their resurgence is thanks to the veterinarian and former gorilla doctor’s work protecting their natural habitat in a country better known for its misty peaks than damp swamps. The sprawling Rugezi swamp has become a refuge for the grey crowned cranes, which stand some 1.2 metres tall and have a wingspan of over two metres. (Photo by Paloma Laudet / AFP)
“I used to cut grass from the marsh to make mats, mats, fish traps, or to make fires,” she says.
“I wasn’t making enough money, even cutting the grass. After joining this group, I was able to find real stability,” she adds.
Humaniterre with AFP
