BLACK-NECKED CRANE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3– Environment)

Context:   The Wildlife Institute of India and the Zoological Survey of India have been carrying out assessment of the black-necked cranes. 

About:

Scientific Name: Grus nigricollis.

Habitat:

• The cranes primarily breed in high-altitude wetlands of the Tibetan plateau, Sichuan (China), and eastern Ladakh (India), migrating to lower altitudes during winter.
• In Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh, they are seen only during winters, with specific areas in Tawang and West Kameng districts serving as their wintering grounds.
• As per the survey conducted by Wildlife Institute of India in 2016-2017 in Ladakh region, the population size of black necked crane was around 66-69 individuals. In Arunachal Pradesh, a small population of approximately 11 individuals arrives during winter months

Protection Status:

• The Black-necked Crane is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby according them the highest degree of protection.
• The species is also listed in Appendix I of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora and the Convention on conservation of Migratory Species.

Conservation measures:

• The important habitats of Black-necked Crane have been notified as a Protected Areas, for example, Changthang Sanctuary, Ladakh.
• The Tso Kar Wetlands Complex, an important foraging and breeding ground for Black-necked Crane has been designated as a Ramsar Site.