2023
Rwanda takes sustained action against illegal trade, domestication of grey-crowned cranes
Entry type: Single project
Country/area: Rwanda
Publishing organisation: – Rwanda Dispatch News Agency
– Info Nile
Organisation size: Big
Publication date: 2022-05-11
Language: English
Authors: – Aimable Twahirwa
– InfoNile Team
Biography:
Aimable Twahirwa is a science journalist for nearly two decades covering environmental topics. An active member of several World Federation of Science Journalists programs, he has worked as a Correspondent Journalist and permanent environmental reporter for various international news organizations and news agencies, including Inter Press Service (IPS) and Thomson Reuters Foundation, and SciDev.Net. He is currently Editor for Rwanda Dispatch News Agency
Project description:
While grey-crowned cranes are part of Rwanda’s wildlife species, the illegal domestication of these endangered birds for both commercial purposes and consumption has gained ground in recent years.
Official estimates in Rwanda show that the grey-crowned crane is hunted for meat and alleged medicinal value but also, some people use the birds as pets in their households and hotels. They are also sold to global illegal wildlife dealers.
Impact reached:
Some activities by local villagers were conducted before an initiative to address this threat to cranes was developed. Some crane poachers have now refrained from the illegal acts and found other means of earning a living.
The Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA) has made a concerted effort since 2015 to address the threats posed to grey-crowned cranes: confiscating all cranes being kept illegally in domestication, returning those that are in good health to the wild in the Akagera National Park, and working towards establishing a good captive facility for those that cannot be released – serving ultimately as an education centre for crane conservation.
Techniques/technologies used:
– Data wraper
– Photoshop
– -MS Excel
Context about the project:
Thanks to concerted effort by Rwanda to address the threats posed to grey-crowned cranes, some cranes have been removed from captivity, most of them have been reintroduced to the wild in the national park.
This project focused recent innovations in the field of data journalism by changing the way maps are done.
These interactive m which are als more granular, prettier too, have been integrated in the narrative.
What can other journalists learn from this project?
telling conservation stories using data
Project links:
