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The South African
27-06-2025
- Science
- The South African
South Africa's national bird moves a step closer to extinction
South Africa's national bird, the Blue Crane, has been officially downgraded to 'vulnerable' on the newly published Regional Red Data Book of Birds – a wake-up call for conservationists, farmers, and bird lovers nationwide. This iconic species, once a symbol of national pride and rural harmony, is now at risk of spiralling toward extinction unless immediate action is taken. Data from the Coordinated Avian Roadcounts (CAR) reveals that Blue Crane numbers in the Overberg – home to the largest remaining population – have declined by 44% since 2011. This comes after a period of significant growth (a 261% increase from 1994-2010), led by collaborative conservation work between farmers, CapeNature, the Overberg Crane Group, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust/International Crane Foundation (EWT/ICF). When funding and focus diminished in the mid-2010s, so too did that upward momentum – paving the way for new, unchecked threats. A combination of human disturbance, barbed wire injuries, poisoning, and climate change now pose a serious risk to Blue Crane survival: Low breeding success : Only 0.55 fledglings per pair , far below replacement levels : Only , far below replacement levels Nest failures caused by extreme weather and human presence caused by extreme weather and human presence Powerline collisions remain a leading cause of adult mortality remain a leading cause of adult mortality Agricultural shifts, including expanded canola crops and minimum tillage, may be reducing access to quality nesting sites Michelle Bouwer , an MSc student studying crane nesting patterns, notes that rising temperatures and droughts – predicted to worsen with climate change – are exacerbating the crisis. While the new 'vulnerable' status is alarming, conservationists are hopeful that it ushers in renewed support and urgency: Greater funding opportunities for conservation programmes for conservation programmes Policy incentives for biodiversity-friendly agriculture for biodiversity-friendly agriculture Stronger collaboration with local farmers, many of whom are already taking proactive steps 'There is still hope,' says Dr Christie Craig of the EWT/ICF. 'But only if we act quickly and decisively.' Support and donate to organisations like EWT , BirdLife South Africa , and CapeNature , , and Volunteer for citizen science projects like CAR like CAR Encourage policies that promote biodiversity in farming Spread awareness about the Blue Crane's plight South Africa's national bird may be vulnerable, but it is not beyond saving. #SaveTheBlueCrane #ConservationMatters #BirdLifeSA #BlueCraneCrisis Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
23-06-2025
- Science
- TimesLIVE
Blue cranes uplisted from threatened to vulnerable
South Africa's national bird, the blue crane, has officially been uplisted from near threatened to vulnerable in the newly published Regional Red Data Book 2025. The uplisting of the blue crane to vulnerable in South Africa means that it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium term, and this reflects growing concern about the species' future, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) said on Monday. The Karoo boasts the highest number of blue cranes in South Africa, and the species' decline is of particular concern in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, where blue cranes occur at high densities, the EWT said. Data from the long-running citizen science project, Coordinated Avifaunal Roadcounts (CAR), showed that the Overberg had seen a 44% decline in blue crane numbers between 2011 and 2025. The organisation said these figures were especially concerning, given that this region once had a thriving blue crane population. 'Before the decline, CAR counts indicated that blue crane numbers had increased by 261% between 1994 and 2010. In the Karoo, CAR figures showed that populations had declined before 2017. But this data is dated given CAR counts are no longer done in this region.' The reasons behind the dramatic decline in the Overberg over the past 14 years were unclear, but research has revealed some clues. 'Recent research by EWT conservation scientist, Dr Christie Craig, into the species' long-term viability revealed that breeding success in the Overberg has halved since the last published study 30 years ago.' On average, pairs now raised just 0.55 fledglings, far below what was needed to sustain the population. MSc student Michelle Bouwer found that the key drivers of nest failures in the Overberg were disturbance and high temperatures. 'This is concerning, given that climate change models predict significant drying and warming in the Western Cape. Fence entanglement also remains a threat to chicks that can't fly yet.' The EWT said the birds had also become the secondary or unintended victims of poisoning in the Overberg and Swartland regions, often from substances intended for other species such as geese or rodents. 'This further highlights the importance of conservation presence in the landscape to ensure that illegal poisonings don't go undetected, and to make certain that farmers have support to deal with crop damage problems.' Research showing that power line collisions in the Overberg had decreased in the past 15 years might be attributed to concerted efforts through the EWT/Eskom partnership to mark power lines. 'Nonetheless, collision with power lines remains the main threat to blue cranes, and ongoing mitigation is necessary, especially as new power lines are added to connect renewable energy to the grid. This is particularly a threat in the renewable energy development zones of the Overberg and Karoo.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia House and Senate pass competing versions of same probation reduction bill
RICHMOND — A bill that would reduce mandatory probation periods is on its way to a conference committee, where the Virginia Senate and House will try to hash out the differences before sending it to the governor's desk to sign. The legislation was proposed by Republicans in the House and Senate but is supported by Democrats and has a broad coalition of support, from criminal justice reform advocates to law enforcement groups. The bill would allow people to reduce their probation sentences by 30 or 60 days, based on meeting certain conditions. At a minimum, once every six months, they would have to provide proof they have fulfilled one or more of these criteria: They were enrolled in certain educational programs. They worked a certain number of hours. They were in treatment for substance abuse or mental health. They obtained housing and established residency. They secured health insurance or a qualifying health care plan. 'This is a well-crafted, bipartisan bill that prioritizes public safety by rewarding individuals for becoming productive members of society,' said Sen. Christie Craig, R-Chespeake and patron of the Senate version of the bill. 'By creating incentives for rehabilitation and reducing recidivism, this legislation strengthens our communities and enhances long-term safety.' The vast majority of people in the carceral system are on probation, and supervision is the most popular sentence in the country. 'Most people who enter a courtroom and are found guilty walk out with some sort of supervision, whether it's their whole sentence or post-incarceration,' said Erin Hainey, chief policy officer at REFORM alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for sentencing reform. Nationally, in 2023, 2.9 million people were on probation, compared to 1.9 million incarcerated. In January, there were about 53,000 people on probation in Virginia, compared to about 23,000 people incarcerated in state Department of Corrections facilities. Virginia has one the lowest recidivism rates in the country, and advocates say the goal for this legislation is to keep it that way by making sure the reentry process for formerly incarcerated people is as smooth as possible. 'Let's not just punish people when they don't meet (probation) conditions,' Hainey said. 'Let's actually reward them when they are doing well by facilitating sort of an earned relief, earlier than the original date.' Making sure people get things like housing, health care and work experience upon reentry is good for people convicted of crimes and good for community stability, Hainey said, but it can also ease the burden on law enforcement. 'They are monitoring people who may not pose any public safety risk but who are on supervision because it is the most popular sentence for anybody in the criminal justice system,' Hainey said. '(The legislation) really frees up police and probation officers to focus on folks who are struggling, who do need assistance, who do need additional monitoring, who are potentially a threat in the community.' The Department of Planning and Budget reported in the bill's fiscal impact statement that the time spent completing reports related to reduced sentences would require more than 200 additional probation officers, but noted that further analysis was needed to determine if the increase in workload would be offset by shorter probation periods. The commonwealth has some safeguards to make sure people aren't reincarcerated based on technical violations of probation guidelines, like failing to report a traffic ticket to a probation officer within three days. State law says that people will not be incarcerated based on one technical violation and discourages courts from incarcerating people for their second offense. But other rules, like in-person meetings with a probation officer can be overly restrictive, said Hainey. 'It sounds like a very simple thing,' she said. 'But oftentimes we are also asking people to work and to provide for their families and be responsible in that way. So if somebody's at their job and they get a call from their PO to come in midday, meet them at the PO's office, that can be incredibly difficult for people.' The Senate version of the bill passed unanimously, while the House version passed 56 to 40. The Senate version requires relevant stakeholders to meet to discuss the impact and contains a provision, called a reenactment clause, that would require the General Assembly to pass the legislation again next year for it to take effect. The House version contains neither additional requirement. Last year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed similar legislation. 'Many of the offenders covered by the proposal committed serious crimes and demonstrated their capacity to act as dangerous individuals,' he wrote by way of explanation. 'Requiring a reduction in the probation period without a hearing poses a risk of offenders losing valuable oversight and guidance from the probation system.' The governor did not respond by time of publication on whether he would support the legislation this time around. Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881
