December
18, 2018, 5:19 pm
A
“supermum” crane from Aberdeenshire has helped boost the number of birds in the
country to record levels.
The
feathery parent, along with her new mate, has raised the species’ only chick in
Scotland this year.
In
addition, the youngster is one of just 160 cranes to have fledged in the UK
since 2000.
RSPB
Scotland nicknamed the bird a supermum after she defied the odds two years ago.
She was
able to raise a chick to fledgling age despite losing her partner when it was
just five weeks old – something that had never been accomplished before.
Conservationists
believe there are now around 180 cranes in the UK – the highest number since
the species returned to the country in 1979 following a 400-year absence.
Hywel
Maggs, RSPB Scotland senior conversation officer, said: ‘’We are absolutely
delighted that supermum has raised another fledged chick, along with her new
mate.
“This
takes the total number of known fledged Aberdeenshire chicks to seven since
breeding was confirmed in 2012.
“Each
year a team of RSPB Scotland staff and volunteers spend hours monitoring
breeding cranes and it is difficult not to become personally attached to these
magnificent birds.
“Watching
the return of cranes to Scotland has been a real privilege and that they have
decided to set up home in Aberdeenshire is an illustration of how important
some of the wilder landscapes here are.”
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