Eskom launches effort to save blue cranes

Overhead power lines pose a threat to blue cranes, particularly at night when some of these huge birds fly into the unseen danger and are electrocuted.

Eskom is attaching fluorescent tubes to the power lines where the ambient electricity causes them to stay lit. It hopes this will enable the cranes to see them and so avoid them.

Chris van Rooyen, manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's strategic partnership with Eskom, explained that many blue cranes roosted in flocks beside farm dams scattered across the Overberg.

When the pumps at these dams started up at night, the cranes were startled and took flight, some into power lines.

"At the dam where they are experimenting with the lights, at least 30 blue cranes have been killed since 1997. This method may sort out the night-time collisions," Van Rooyen said.

Blue cranes, classified as "vulnerable" in the World Conservation Union's red data list, are endemic to southern Africa and most are found in South Africa.

This week is the first National Bird Week and the bird of the week is the blue crane.

Source: www.iol.co.za