Egg Custody – first crane egg in 400 years under 24 hour guard
by Drucilla James
credit: Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)
The first crane egg to be laid in Western Britain in more than 400 years is now under round –the-clock guard at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust site at Slimbridge.
“Cranes are an iconic part of British wildlife and one that was almost lost for centuries. There is a long way to go before cranes become widespread again, but it is absolutely momentous to see this egg laid at Slimbridge,” said WWT’s Nigel Jarrett.
The parents of the egg were hand-reared at Slimbridge as part of WWT’s The Great Crane Project , which since 2010 has been rearing cranes in captivity and reintroducing them into the West Country.
The nesting pair can be watched from hides at Slimbridge or via a live stream from the surveillance camera on the WWT website http:// www.wwt.org.uk/visit/dont-miss-at-wwt-wetland-centres/wwt-webcams/cranes-at-slimbridge