Sarus Crane and All-India Sarus Crane Survey

About Sarus Crane

• The Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone) is the world’s tallest flying bird.
  • It is India’s only resident breeding crane species.
• Habitat: It inhabits wetlands, marshes, shallow water bodies, grasslands and agricultural landscapes, including flooded paddy fields.
• Distribution: It is found across parts of Southeast Asia, northern India and northern Australia.
  • In India, it is largely restricted to Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, with isolated populations in Maharashtra.
• Characteritics:
  • Appearance: It has grey plumage, a bare red head and upper neck, and reddish legs.
    • It stands about 1.5 m tall.
  • Social Behaviour: It is usually found in pairs or small groups of three or four birds.
  • Breeding: It is monogamous and is known to mate for life.
    • It builds nests in natural wetlands and flooded paddy fields.
  • Ecological Importance: Its presence indicates the health of wetland and agricultural ecosystems.
• Threats:
  • Wetland degradation
  • Changes in agricultural land use
  • Pesticides
  • Power-line collisions, electrocution
  • Human disturbance, poaching
  • Predation by wild and free-ranging dogs.
• Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix II
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

About All-India Sarus Crane Survey

• The All-India Sarus Crane Survey is a nationwide initiative to establish a scientific baseline for the Sarus Crane population in India.
• Organised by: It is organized by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
• Objective: It aims to estimate population numbers, identify important habitats, map breeding and feeding sites, and guide targeted conservation measures.
• Participants: State forest departments, research institutions, conservation organisations, local communities, farmers, educational institutions and citizen scientists have been invited.