{"id":56353,"date":"2025-11-23T11:16:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T11:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/rwandan-conservation-group-signs-cross-border-agreement-to-protect-migratory\/"},"modified":"2025-11-24T11:35:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T11:35:22","slug":"rwandan-conservation-group-signs-cross-border-agreement-to-protect-migratory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/rwandan-conservation-group-signs-cross-border-agreement-to-protect-migratory\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwandan conservation group signs cross-border agreement to protect migratory cranes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The agreements were signed in Kigali on November 21, 2025, during RWCA\u2019s 10th anniversary celebrations, which highlighted the organisation\u2019s achievements in crane conservation over the past decade.<\/p>\n<p>Representatives from wildlife organisations in Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda attended the ceremony and joined RWCA in signing the collaborative agreements. Partner organisations include Nature Uganda and the International Crane Foundation from Uganda, Nature Tanzania, and the Association Burundaise pour la Protection de la Nature from Burundi.<\/p>\n<p>Under the agreements, the organisations will work together to protect cranes across a 24,904-square-kilometre area. This includes the Rwandan border regions, home to 1,030 cranes, representing 82% of the national population, as well as 787 cranes in neighbouring Uganda. Additional coverage includes 266 cranes in Tanzania\u2019s border areas and 19 cranes in Burundi.<\/p>\n<p>RWCA founder and Executive Director, Dr Olivier Nsengimana, said surveys showed that some Rwandan cranes, especially those in wetlands near borders, cross into neighbouring countries without returning, with their survival uncertain outside Rwanda.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn wetlands near borders such as Akagera, Akanyaru, and Kagitumba, crane numbers fluctuate and are generally low, but the birds are not dying. Some cross borders, while populations in protected wetlands like Urugezi increase each year. In wetlands used for agriculture, cranes may leave during planting seasons,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Nsengimana added that GPS tracking of some cranes revealed their cross-border movements, prompting RWCA to collaborate with local organisations to protect the birds, educate communities, and promote shared use of tracking technology.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe realised that monitoring these cranes would require complex permits, so we signed agreements with organisations in Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda to jointly protect cranes in the region, share information, and take coordinated action,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past decade, RWCA has helped increase Rwanda\u2019s crane population from fewer than 300 in 2015 to 1,245 today. Public awareness of crane conservation has grown, and the organisation has expanded from five volunteer staff to 300 permanent employees.<\/p>\n<p>Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Fid\u00e8le Bingwa, praised RWCA\u2019s dedication, noting that the organisation\u2019s work over the past 10 years has strengthened government efforts in biodiversity conservation and produced tangible results.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98106 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/cranes.jpg\" alt=\"Under the agreements, the organisations will work together to protect cranes across a 24,904-square-kilometre area. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98112 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/crane_celebration_5.jpg\" alt=\"Five organisations signed the cross-border agreement to protect migratory cranes.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98107 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6d1a9493-a2e5b.jpg\" alt=\"Representatives from wildlife organisations in Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda attended the ceremony and joined RWCA in signing the collaborative agreements.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98108 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/rwca.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98113 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/cranes_celebration_2.jpg\" alt=\"Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment Fid\u00e8le Bingwa praised RWCA\u2019s 10 years of work in strengthening biodiversity conservation.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98114 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/rdb_new.jpg\" alt=\"The Head of the Tourism Department at RDB, Ariella Kageruka (centre), attended RWCA\u2019s 10th anniversary celebration.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98109 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6d1a9883-7ea5f.jpg\" alt=\"A local dance troupe entertained guests at RWCA\u2019s 10th anniversary celebrations on November 21, 2025.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98110 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6d1a9212-299ad.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-98111 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/crane_celebration_3.jpg\" alt=\"Juliet Kabera, the Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, was honoured for her role in strengthening collaboration between her agency and RWCA.\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA) has signed agreements with four organisations from Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda to protect cranes that cross borders, particularly those moving from Rwanda into neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000098115,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[75],"byline":[170],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-56353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-homenews","byline-igihe"],"bylines":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default 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