Common Crane being brought back from the brink of extinction

The Crane disappeared from the British countryside 400 years ago. Credit: WWT

It's one of the most majestic birds in the British Isles, but the Common Crane has had a troubled past.

The Crane disappeared from the British countryside 400 years ago, except for a small and isolated group in Norfolk.

Three years into the Great Crane Project, the bird has a strong future thanks to a partnership with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, as it endeavours to reintroduce the species, which once came close to extinction.

This spring the Slimbridge centre has had a flurry of new chicks, cute and fluffy to begin with, these birds stand tall and will eventually grow to have a wingspan of over two metres.

But the reintroduction of a wild animal can be fraught with problems for conservationists, not least a threat of disease to both the Cranes and existing animal populations.

Extensive work has gone into integrating the birds into their new home and the Somerset Levels has proved ideal due to its ample breeding and feeding habitat.

But those involved have worked carefully to ensure there isn't a repeat of when the North American Grey Squirrel was introduced, the result being the decimation of the Red Squirrel population.

To this end, researchers assessed the risks of "translocating" the wild birds including whether the animals were carrying any parasites that would bring native animals into contact with diseases they didn't have the immunity for.

Each spring eggs are translocated to Slimbridge and the chicks are effectively taken through "crane school" to learn how to look after themselves.

If a success this project will ensure the protection of a much-loved and majestic bird.

To watch the birds at the Crane School live, click here.

The Great Crane Project facts

  • 24 Eggs were brought to the UK this year

  • All 24 chicks have now hatched

  • The first chick hatched on April22, the last chick hatched on May 7

  • Newly hatched chicks are 6 inches in height and will grow ½ inch per day

  • They will be three feet tall in just three months

  • Cranes need long, sturdy legs to wade through reeds and watery places where they search for food