Rwanda’s Grey Crowned Cranes were in trouble before a vet and former gorilla doctor stepped in with an innovative plan to save the leggy bird, known for its striking plumage and elaborate courtship dance. Dr Olivier Nsengimana tells Kate and Edward how his campaign won support from both Rwandans and the government, boosting the crane's fragile population by 1,000 individuals. 

When you fall in love with nature, you can’t let your childhood superhero disappear, Olivier says. It's not just about saving the cranes, he says, but preserving the life-giving wetlands they inhabit for wildlife - and humanity. Olivier and his team at Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, the NGO he founded, are now leading an ambitious plan to reverse declines in the crane across East Africa, with partners in Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi.

How to Save It highlights ingenious solutions from the world’s leading conservationists. To learn more about their work and to receive updates, sign up here https://bit.ly/WFN_Podcast_NewsletterSignup 

Find out more and watch Olivier's short film https://bit.ly/WFN_Podcast_Nsengimana 

Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/whitleyawards/ and https://uk.linkedin.com/company/whitley-fund-for-nature

For more on birds and preserving wetlands, listen to our episode on Dr Purnima Devi Barman whose pioneering work has saved the Greater Adjutant Stork in Assam. https://bit.ly/WFN_Podcast_Barman 

Executive producer: Sarah Treanor

Illustrations by Emily Faccini

Photo credit: Lynn Von Gagen, Denver Zoo

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