State of Africa’s Birds
PRESSURE: Why birds are declining
Grey Crowned-cranes poisoned in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Use of organophosphate in farmland was reported to kill 43 Grey Crowned-cranes Balearica regulorum in one of Zambia’s most prestigious national parks, South Luangwa, in 2015. The park has three large salt pans surrounded by vast grasslands with fringes of Mopane woodlands; a perfect habitat for Grey Crowned-cranes. It is a prime tourist destination and is surrounded by a large Game Management Area (GMA), which supports a sizeable human population. People living in the GMA engage in a number of agricultural activities as livelihood options. Cranes, as well as other wildlife from the park, have been reported to wander into the GMA and eat from agricultural fields. Samples collected from the dead birds indicated poisoning by organophosphates. Organophosphates have so far been observed to be the most commonly used poisons; they are easily obtained from the national agricultural support programmes funded by government and the private sector. These broad spectrum pesticides are also sold cheaply over the counter in shops. Surveys conducted in 2016 by BirdWatch Zambia (BIrdLife Partner), in partnership with the International Crane Foundation, revealed that cranes were not only poisoned because they were pests in agricultural fields, but were killed for food. The fact that cranes occur in large flocks makes them extremely vulnerable to large-scale losses, as food or water hole poisoning are the preferred methods used. Zambia has no restrictions on the use of organophosphates, despite reports submitted to the environmental management agency, documenting the impacts of these pesticides on both biodiversity and human health.
Poisoned Grey Crowned-crane.
(PHOTO: ©BirdWatch Zambia)
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