- Title: ISRAEL-MIGRATING BIRDS Crane Project brings compromise to Israeli bird debate
- Date: 21st March 2013
- Summary: Farmers and environmentalists in Israel have united to create a man-made ecosystem designed to protect migrating cranes and the farm crops they like to eat. Called the Crane Project, it's an idea that aims to satisfy both sides of an environmental debate while also attracting eco-tourists to the Hula Valley wetland where the iconic birds gather. SHOWS: HULA VALLEY, ISRAEL (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF CRANES IN HULA VALLEY 2. TRACTOR DISTRIBUTING FOOD FOR CRANES 3. MORE OF CRANES 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) YASMIN FREIHOFF, BIRD WATCHING GUIDE IN HULA VALLEY, SAYING: "The reason that the cranes are staying here all over the winter is because that in the 1990's we changed all the agriculture here and moved from mostly growing cotton to grow corn and peanuts. And then the cranes that always flew above Israel they had a very good reason to stop and they begin to cause a lot of damage to the agriculture fields". 5. TRACTOR DISTRIBUTING FOOD FOR CRANES 6. VARIOUS OF CRANES 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZAMIR KARMI, FARMER, SAYING: "The cranes stay here because we gave them a place with food and water, shallow water so they can sleep at night. And they stay here instead of going to Africa. If we don't do this they will go over our fields and eat the crops. So we have to feed them instead." 8. VARIOUS OF CRANES 9. BIRD WATCHERS TAKING PHOTOS OF CRANES 10. VARIOUS OF CRANES 11. BIRD WATCHER TAKING PHOTOS OF CRANES 12. CRANES' SILHOUETTES AS REFLECTED ON WATER 13. CRANE SILHOUETTE ON WATER / MORE OF CRANES 14. CRANES FLYING ON BACKDROP OF FIELDS AND HERMON MOUNTAIN
- Embargoed: 5th April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA8F4JMVSJDY1ADTHAAM1I7TL6C
- Story Text: Israeli environmentalists and farmers have joined forces to develop a delicate man-made ecosystem in the Hula Valley that protects food supplies from hungry migratory cranes, while at the same time attracting eco-tourists wishing to view the iconic, but threatened, bird.
Israel is one of the world's busiest junctions for migrating birds, connecting Europe, Asia and Africa. At least 400 species totalling more than 500 million birds traditionally cross Israel twice a year; once on their way to warm winter grounds - mostly in Africa from breeding grounds in Europe and Russia - and then on a return journey northwards in spring.
Yet over the past two decades thousands of cranes bucked this trend, preferring to remain in northern Israel for winter, having discovered a plentiful new supply of food in the corn and peanut fields established in the early 1990s.
Twenty years ago there were hardly any cranes in Hula because the natural swamps had been drained for farmland.
Most species of crane are dependent on wetlands and require large areas of open space.
When the ground didn't work well for most crops, experts restored part of the lake. This led to a return by the cranes en masse in time to take advantage of one of the area's few agricultural successes, its burgeoning corn and peanut harvests.
Agamon Hula bird watching guide Yasmin Friehoff says local farmers became anxious as they tried but failed to protect their crops.
"The reason that the cranes are staying here all over the winter is because that in the 1990's we changed all the agriculture here and moved from mostly growing to cotton to grow corn and peanuts. And then the cranes that always flew above Israel they had a very good reason to stop and they begin to cause a lot of damage to the agriculture fields", she said.
The farmers entered discussions with the Agamon Hula Ornithology and Nature Park, the national government, and various green organisations. The latter wanted to be involved because many crane species are classified as threatened despite their current prevalence in northern Israel. Some, like the North American Whooping Crane, are critically endangered.
The result was 'The Crane Project', in which cranes are fed regularly while at the same time crops are protected.
The project's aim is to minimise damage to crops by controlling the food supply of the cranes, in an attempt to reduce their numbers in winter. In the autumn, following the summer harvest, cranes are encouraged to stay for a limited period to replenish their energy reserves, but at that point the farmers want to protect their crops. So in the winter a feeding station is opened nearby, in which a buffet of corn and other feed is spread out for the voracious birds.
"The cranes stay here because we gave them a place with food and water, shallow water so they can sleep at night. And they stay here instead of going to Africa. If we don't do this they will go over our fields and eat the crops. So we have to feed them instead," said local farmer Zamir Karmi.
Zamir says that 1,000 cranes can devour more than 10 dunams (2.47 acres) of crops in an hour, causing damage valued at more than $1,500 per dunam.
To feed the approximately 30,000 cranes wintering in Hula Valley, Zamir says farmers have to buy 600 tons of corn which is distributed over 400 dunams (98.8 acres) of land from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Agamon Hula say the cost of protecting the agricultural fields and operating the feeding station is approximately 2.5 million shekels (about $650,000) per year, but say much of this is now recouped by paying eco-tourists.
The Agamon Hula park is a significant eco-tourism site that attracts visitors from across the world where they can observe thousands of unique birds, animals and plants, in their natural habitat.
Cranes live on all continents except Antarctica and South America, and many species are least classified as threatened, if not critically endangered.
They are opportunistic feeders that change their diet according to the season and their own nutrient requirements.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
