Do right by the blue crane
FOURWAYS – Saving our national bird one small step at a time, read more.
The blue crane is South Africa’s national bird so it is important to preserve them.
On 24 November, Phillip Mkhombo from Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) delivered two blue cranes to the Fourways Gardens Nature Reserve. Irene Howard, a resident at Fourways Gardens Residential Estate, has offered to take care of them, with a strict eating plan that she receives every week from Johannesburg Zoo.
She has no responsibility toward the nature reserve, but she immediately decided that she wanted to be the one to take care of the cranes after they were delivered by the Zoo.
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Howard named the birds Jack and Jane. “I have no idea as to how I got to the names, but I just loved those birds from the very start,” said Howard.
The bird lover went on to reveal Jack and Jane’s very special diet. “I give them four handfuls of cooked mielies, four handfuls of special crane pellets, two boiled eggs, grated carrots, cut green vegetables and calcium powder.”
There is no question that Howard is a person who cares a lot about people, animals and the environment. “I have lived here for six years and when [the birds] came, it just felt natural to care for them,” she said.
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Elmine Durandt, communications and events manager of the estate said, “Irene just always wants to step up and help where necessary and wherever she can, She is very supportive. She will always go out of her way and she is always trying to make our jobs easier.
“It is good to know that in our community we have people that are looking out for the people and the environment.”
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