Good news for one of the world’s rarest crane species. Over the past decade, conservation efforts have helped the number of critically endangered Siberian cranes double in one area.
The Siberian crane is known for its long and difficult migrations. The Siberian crane breeds in western Russia and has migration routes throughout Central Asia, India, and China. Sadly the populations that migrated to Central Asia and India are nearly extinct due to over-hunting of the cranes.
Most Siberian cranes now belong to the eastern population, which migrates between northeastern Russia and China. In 2012, researchers estimated there were around 3,500-4,000 cranes in the eastern population. But since 2012, that number has doubled to 7000 birds, according to the International Crane Foundation.
One reason there has been an increase in Siberian cranes is because people have been working to take care of wetlands and other important stopover sites along the cranes migration route between Russia and China. The International Crane Foundation works with organizations in Russia and China to identify and secure the wetlands the birds need along their journey.
In China the International Crane Foundation works with local partners at Lake Poyang. This lake supports nearly the entire wintering population of Siberian cranes and several other threatened waterbirds. The lake is managed to provide feeding areas for the cranes.
David Brown adapted this story for Mongabay Kids. It is based on an article by Shreya Dasgupta, published on Mongabay News.
