Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone) in north India and other locations occur in landscapes with very high human populations and intensive agriculture. Their successful breeding is dependent on remnant wetland patches. Traditional agricultural practices help them to persist on the otherwise disturbed lands. Alongside the struggle to maintain wetlands amid a burgeoning human population, the changes in rainfall patterns, likely driven by global climate change, are new challenges that cranes here face. … Read More
Sarus Cranes, Noida
Greater Noida may be on the World Map thanks to the F1 Grand Prix, or its world class infrastructural development; but what is surprising is how it is still home to the world’s tallest flying bird. It is an incongruous sight to see this pair with highrises in the background.
The Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) is the only resident crane of India. Wetland loss and degradation are critical problems throughout the range of these cranes. Destruction of wetlands … Read More
Agriculture That Benefits Wildlife
The tallest flying bird in the world – the Sarus crane – thrives in the intensely cultivated floodplains of Uttar Pradesh. Can the birds withstand the pressures of a country on the fast track to development?
The fertile Gangetic floodplain has supported dense human population for centuries—much of the land is cultivated, having been converted almost entirely to small-holder farmer systems at least 300 years ago. Despite these pressures, the world’s largest known breeding populations of sarus cranes and black-necked … Read More
All Crane Species Under Threat of Extinction Says Waterbird Expert
Dutch scientist Dr. Joost Van der Ven, pioneer of the annual International Waterbird Census, has said that all 15 crane species of the world are under the threat of extinction. Five species live in India and hence India has an important role to play. The Sarus Crane population is a cause for concern. The western population of the Siberian Crane, that used to winter in India (last bird was seen in 2002) and Iran, was hunted to extinction along their … Read More
Sarus Crane Nesting Sites Decline In Uttar Pradesh
There has been a large decline in the number of nesting sites observed in Etawah district in Uttar Pradesh. Wildlife activists and forest officials are trying to ascertain the reasons. It appears to be a hidden conflict between farmers and the birds. Analysis shows that 64 percent of the land owned by farmers happened to be in wetlands. Only 36 percent was outside of wetlands. Shortage of agricultural land, inappropriate land management practices and poverty are said to be reasons … Read More
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