Photo by Tim Nevard
Join us for our webinar with Co-founder George Archibald and Tim Nevard, Co-founder of the Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland (now Forever Wild) and Adjunct Professor at James Cook University, on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. Central Time. Click here to register.
George’s involvement with Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands and Gulf Plains stretches back over three decades. George studied breeding behavior of Brolgas and Sarus on the Aboriginal owned and operated Delta Downs cattle station and flocking and foraging behavior among the farms of the Atherton Tablelands. Tim’s work with Australasian cranes includes the creation of a major roost for the two species at Mareeba; genetics of hybridization and differences between the Australian and Asian subspecies of Sarus; proving Brolga and Sarus migration between the Gulf and Tablelands; and their relationships with farmers and grazers.
George and Tim’s long-term collaboration most recently led to a 2019 International Crane Foundation reconnaissance visit to Papua New Guinea, designed to identify key directions and partnerships for research and conservation of New Guinea’s large but almost entirely unknown crane populations.
It is a critical time for New Guinea’s cranes, which are coming under increased pressure from agricultural development on both the Indonesian and Papua New Guinea sides of the border. Following the establishment of a partnering arrangement with the Ok Tedi Foundation, the first project is to survey crane distribution along the Fly River, carried out by local indigenous people. This has tentatively identified the potential presence of both Sarus and Brolgas, so Coronavirus permitting, fieldwork planned for later in 2020 or 2021 will follow-up on these initial findings.
Detail of “Go Forth” by Janet Flynn
Join us for the first presentation in our Cranes and Community Virtual Art Series on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 11 a.m. Central Time! Click here to register.
Meet Sauk County artist Janet Flynn, a native of Wisconsin and longtime member of the International Crane Foundation. Janet shares her childhood and lifelong connections to nature and art, her journey to Baraboo and her discovery of the International Crane Foundation. View some of her many crane paintings created throughout her career and follow along as she explains her inspiration and process for her most recent painting, “George’s Grandchildren.”
This fall, the International Crane Foundation will host a series of five webinars showcasing artists with strong ties to Sauk County. The Cranes and Community Virtual Art Series will highlight the work of five gifted artists, including Elliott Funmaker, Sr., Ho-Chunk Native Storyteller and Dancer; Janet Flynn, Painter; Kim Russell, Illustrator; Jay Jocham, Painter and Muralist; and Masako Pellerin, Origami Artist. From the traditional art of storytelling in Ho-Chunk culture to the ancient practice of folding paper cranes in Japan, viewers will learn about different art forms, processes and techniques.
The International Crane Foundation is proud to offer a platform to these artists, and we are excited to have the opportunity to share their work with you. Artists will discuss what inspires them, talk about their artistic process, and inspire viewers to share stories and make art of their own. Viewers will be encouraged to explore their talents, feelings and beliefs to push their creative boundaries and use art as a vehicle for crane conservation, self-expression and community building.
Photo by Jim Harris
Join us for our webinar with East Africa Regional Manager Adalbert Aine-omucunguzi on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 11 a.m. Central Time. Click here to register.
One of Africa’s most beloved birds is in serious trouble. The Grey Crowned Crane—once common across the wetlands and grasslands of eastern Africa—has declined by more than 80% over the last 25 years and is now an endangered species. A rapidly growing human population, lack of sustainable livelihoods for the humans who share their landscapes with cranes and a decline in agricultural productivity are increasing demands for land and water. These pressures are driving agricultural encroachment into wetlands, which reduces access to clean water and threatens cranes and other biodiversity. This anthropogenic pressure also undermines environmental health, human health and wellbeing, and exposes peat to aerial oxidation, emitting greenhouse gases.
This webinar will discuss how we are engaging communities in Uganda to take action to save wetlands in a manner that respects and addresses the challenges they face in meeting their daily needs while benefiting cranes and other wildlife.
Artwork by David Rankin
Join us for our webinar with Asia Program Manager and Grants Officer Claire Mirande, Research Wildlife Biologist (Emeritus) at the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Jane Austin, and President and CEO Rich Beilfuss on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. Central Time. Click here to register.
The landmark International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Crane Conservation Strategy published in 2019 provides a wealth of new information to guide the conservation of the world’s fifteen species of cranes and the ecosystems where they occur. The publication reflects the work and knowledge of dozens of devoted colleagues in the IUCN Crane Specialist Group. It updates and builds upon the group’s first report, The Cranes: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan (1996). As such, it charts a comprehensive course forward for crane conservation, synthesizing information on the challenges and opportunities that face the world’s cranes and all who care about them.
While we should be troubled by the daunting array of continuing and emerging threats confronting the world’s cranes, we should also take heart in the creative solutions being undertaken to effectively address these problems. In our talk, we provide an overview of the top threats faced by cranes related to water, agriculture, and threats that affect the survival or breeding success of cranes. We will share stories of the diverse efforts to address these problems and share our vision on the challenges and opportunities before us as we work to secure a resilient future for cranes and the ecosystems they inhabit.
Photo by Tom Lynn
Join us for our webinar with North America Program Crane Analyst Hillary Thompson, Chick Rearing Supervisor and Senior Aviculturist Marianne Wellington, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Wildlife Technician Eva Szyszkoski on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. Central Time. Click here to register.
Endangered Whooping Cranes were once almost extinct. Through many conservation efforts and reintroductions, there are now over 800 of them in the world. This total includes two reintroduced populations in areas where Whooping Cranes once called home. But how did they get there? Learn about some of the innovative ways we raise Whooping Cranes in captivity and how we release them into the wetlands of Wisconsin and Louisiana.
