Socio cultural significance of the national bird for Uganda – the Grey Crowned Crane

1. Socio cultural significance of the national bird for Uganda – the Grey Crowned Crane By Jimmy Muheebwa Project Coordinator - Crane and Wetland Conservation in Uganda Jimmy.muheebwa@natureuganda.org / jimmy.muheebwa@gmail.com +256 772 550 177

2. The Grey Crowned Crane - features

3. Background; Taxonomy: • Kingdom: Animalia • Phylum: Chordata • Class: Aves • Order: Gruiformes • Family: Gruidae • Genus: Balearica • Species: B. regulorum

4. National significance National Bird for Uganda – On flag, money National foot ball Team, Bank, schools … Three colours of the flag – Black, Yellow and Red

5. Cranes of the world • Black Crowned Cranes (Balearica pavonina) • Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) • Blue Cranes (Anthropoides paradisea) • Brolgas (Grus rubicunda) • Demoiselle Cranes (Anthropoides virgo) • Eurasian Cranes (Grus grus) • Grey Crowned Cranes (Balearica regulorum) • Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) • Red-crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis) • Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) • Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone) • Siberian Cranes (Grus leucogeranus) • Wattled Cranes (Bugeranus carunculatus) • White-naped Cranes (Grus vipio) • Whooping Cranes (Grus americana)

7. Distribution of Grey Crowned Cranes in Uganda

8. Distribution across districts in Uganda

9. Population estimates • Estimate for Uganda (Pomeroy, 1989) - 25,000 - 35,000 • Current estimate (Muheebwa, 2003) = 13,000 – 20,000 • A decline of 41 - 53% (Beilfuss et al, 2007). • Uganda plays host to about 28% of the global Grey Crowned Crane population

10. Population trend

11. Animals as totems in Uganda

12. Birds & beliefs in Africa • The ground horn bill - The Zulu communities strongly believe that it is a bird that has the power to bring down rain. When it appears the people of the community will expect heavy rains.   Conservation +++ • Casqued hornbill – believed to be a bird of bad omen and people fear killing/ harming it = Conservation +++ • The Hamerkop – Believed to possess the power to burn. It is believed that if one abuses / destroy's hamerkop nest their home will burn down. Conservation +++. • The Owl it is closely associated to witchcraft. It is a bird that only appears at night. None is happy to have this bird sitting on their roof. When this bird is sitting within one's premises at night it is believed that it is sent by somebody to perform witchcraft = Conservation +++

13. Cranes and Communities in Uganda Naming: Grey Crowned Crane - Balearica regulorum • Entuuha/ Entuuhe – Runyankore/ Rukiga • Engaali – Luganda (Central Uganda) • Wawalu – Gishu/ Lunyole (Eastern Uganda) • Walu – Madi / Langi (Northern Uganda) Wetland management committees and crane custodians (local cadres) enhance crane conservation by caring for cranes, awareness, wetland habitat restoration to enhance breeding success • Evidence of tolerance of cranes and nests on privately owned land/ farms

14. Cranes elsewhere in the world • Cranes in Japanese textiles generally represent longevity and good fortune. • They are most closely associated with Japanese New Year and wedding ceremonies – for example the crane is often woven into a wedding kimono which is a special wish • It also represents fidelity, as Japanese cranes are known to mate for life.

15. Cranes in Asia In Asian - Chinese cultures, the elegant crane is a symbol of health and longevity - precious qualities that  people hope to enjoy during their lives = Conservation +++  Traditional art forms, including wood carving, fabric making, pottery and ceramics utilize a crane motif that instantly sends a message of good luck to the happy recipient – Conservation +++

16. Cranes and people in Uganda Intricate folklore interwoven with cultures • Totem and cultural symbol / totem e.g. for the Bahinda clan = Conservation+++ • Time teller (circadian clock) • Revered as a bird of good omen but believed to cast a bad spell if hurt (this has increased its domestication!!= Conservation --- ) • A symbol of fidelity – practices monogamy and faithfulness - flagship indicator for faithfulness in the HIV/ AIDS era = Conservation+++

17. Grey Crowned cranes, environment & the economy • Grey Crowned Cranes are indicators of environmental health • Great aesthetic value - tourism attraction potential • Birds (cranes inclusive) are probably the biggest foreign exchange earner in Uganda – birding circuits. Uganda was named the best birding destination in the world 2012

18. Cranes and the economy – cont’d • Tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner generating about $1 billion (2012) • 1006 bird species recorded in Uganda • Birding constitutes a big proportion of tourism – (Uganda has11% of the world bird species & 50% of Africa bird species) • $6 million reaped from birding based tourism (2008)

19. Dangers to cranes in Uganda

20. Threats to cranes in Uganda

21. Crane conservation in Uganda • Legislation - The GCC is the national bird for Uganda and its conservation is enshrined in: The Constitution (1995), The Uganda Wildlife Policy (1999) = protected as other species • Cultural – beleifs associated to the bird – Conservation +++ • Conservation projects (NGOs) – awareness, monitoring, alternatives to use of breeding habitats in Uganda, mitigating crane removal from the wild = Conservation +++

22. Partnerships in crane and wetland conservation project

23. Thank you!