Distribution of Sarus Crane Grus antigone antigone in Rajasthan and People’s Participation in the Protection of its Breeding Sites

Abstract

The chapter describes the history, species distribution, and nesting sites of Sarus Cranes in Rajasthan. The Sarus Crane, once a common bird of rural areas, is now confined to the patches of the rural landscapes. Kota district in southeast and eastern Rajasthan is the only urban township in the country where breeding pairs of Sarus Crane can still be found in the village Ummedganj located 12 km away from the city. The cranes coexist with the rural landscape owing to the religious beliefs associated with it, but present day modernization has brought the focus to economic value which has resulted in the decline of the bird from rural areas. The nests and eggs are being destroyed for various reasons and a need to save the cranes has been realized. By creating awareness and involving farmers and youth, their conservation efforts have already resulted in an increase in the survival rate of the Sarus Cranes in Kota district. Protection groups were formed during the year 2004–2005 as a part of the awareness program run by the authors. The program resulted in the fledging of 18 chicks from 28 nests which was nil during the summer breeding season before the initiation of the project. This awareness and education program in Kota district has proved that involvement of the rural community outside the protected areas is very important to save the breeding habitat and population of Sarus Cranes in the wild in addition to assisting in more scientific studies on their ecology.