In News
- Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) Forest Department has relocated a sarus crane, U.P. ‘s State bird, from Mandka village in Amethi to Raebareli’s Samaspur Bird Sanctuary.
About Sarus Crane
- Scientific Name: Grus antigone
Features:
- The Sarus crane is the world’s tallest flying bird. The birds are predominantly gray, with long, pale red legs. Their naked head is red, as is their neck.
- Juveniles have buff feathers on their head and slightly darker plumage.
Habitat
- The Sarus crane is known for its ability to live in association with humans, inhabiting open, cultivated, well watered plains, marshlands and jheels. These areas suit them well for foraging, roosting and nesting.
- These birds nest on the ground. A bulky nest is formed from wetland vegetation.
- They are found in open wetlands in South Asia, seasonally flooded Dipterocarpus forests in Southeast Asia, and Eucalyptus -dominated woodlands and grasslands in Australia.
Distribution
- Continents : Oceania, Asia.
- Subcontinents: Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia.
- Countries: Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Viet Nam, Bangladesh.
- In the Indian subcontinent, it is found in northern and central India, Terai Nepal and Pakistan.
- It was once a common site in the paddy fields of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. Their population is now on the decline in India, a majority of which are in Uttar Pradesh.
Threats
- Sarus cranes are threatened mainly by loss of habitat, due to drainage of wetlands, agricultural expansion and human development.
- The use of pesticides, as well as collisions with wires, are important threats.
- Cranes are also commonly targeted by humans hunting and egg collecting.
Conservation Status
- They are classified as vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red list of threatened species.
- Listed in Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
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Samaspur Bird Sanctuary
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