Growing up in the Kwazulu-Natal Midlands, flocks of Grey Crowned Cranes would come flying across the evening sky in V formation, filling the air with their distinctive honking call as the sun set. 

Although these memories are evocative, there is another reason why two Crowned Cranes in flight feature in the Sinamatella logo. 

Cranes are an excellent indicator species. If they are present then it means that the grassland and wetland ecosystems are healthy. Which is important because these ecosystems play a vital role in the functioning of water catchment systems, particularly in arid countries such as South Africa.  

So the fate of these birds is intertwined with that of everyday South Africans: both are dependent on the good management of these ecosystems. If this habitat is lost to development or agricultural, we may lose the cranes and our clean drinking water. 

Here's to the Grey Crowned Cranes: their beauty and significance.