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The Project

The Great Crane Project aims to restore healthy populations of wild common cranes throughout the UK.

Cranes are wonderful, iconic birds that are sadly missing from many of their former wetland haunts in the UK.  They were lost as a breeding bird around 400 years ago as a result of the draining of their wetland nesting sites, and hunting for food.

Somerset levels view. Credit: Damon Bridge
Credit: Damon Bridge
A crane bugling. Credit: John Crispin
Credit: John Crispin

Over the next five years, the project will focus on the reintroduction of cranes into the Somerset Levels and Moors - 60,000ha of floodplain in the South West of the UK, dominated by extensive mixed pastures, meadows and wetlands.

To get these birds back, where they rightfully belong, requires the careful hand-rearing of young birds from wild-sourced eggs - undertaken in a purpose built ‘school’ at the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.

At around five months old the birds are then transported to Somerset and released where they will be very closely monitored as they learn to adapt to the rigours of life in the wild.

To help the cranes adapt to their new home, some habitat improvement and enhancement works are planned on the conservation farmed areas as well as in the wider countryside.

Around 20 young birds will be hand-reared and released each year, with 100 birds planned to be released by 2015.

To hear the crane’s bugling calls reverberating around the moors on a spring morning will be an incredibly moving experience and one that the project wants to ensure that is there for all to enjoy.

Download the Great Crane Project Annual Report 2010 - 2011 (pdf 1.7 MB)

Cranes in the mist. Credit: Beate Blahy
Credit: Beate Blahy

Have a listen yourself on the Crane Soundscape page »

 

 

 

 

 

 Action

Done or Planned and notes
Carry out a feasibility study to identify an appropriate release site Done (Levels and Moors chosen as most appropriate for first stage of releases from 5 within the UK )
Apply for and gain consent from DEFRA to release cranes into the UK Done (DEFRA consent granted in March 2010).
Apply for and gain consent from the authorities in Brandenburg State to  remove eggs from the wild under licence. Done (Land Brandenburg consent granted for 5 years of collection – up to 30 eggs per year.
Gain planning permission for, build and fit-out a brand new “Crane School”at Slimbridge WWT. Done  - A purpose built building and excercise area constructed in a quiet location away from the main visitor area.
Apply for consent for and build the temporary release enclosure in Somerset
Done  - A 2ha fenced enclosure constructed in autumn 2009 with the rest of the work completed in summer 2010
Hone rearing techniques through captive rearing programmes at WWT and Pensthorpe Conservation Trust
Done – Incubation, hatching and rearing techniques perfected over the last three/four years
Contract veterinary experts to carry out a full ‘disease risk assessment’ of the project. Done – It is vital that we do not introduce any disease into the wild through the project, and also that the disease risks to the young birds are minimised.
Consult and discuss with landowners, other conservation bodies and interested parties in Somerset.
Ongoing.  “Somerset Crane Forum” discussion group has been established.  For more details go to contacts page.
First year of egg collection, hatching , rearing and release
April 2010 - Dec 2010. 
Go to section The Reintroduction Process for details.
Start habitat enhancement works
Summer 2010
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