Sarus Crane Research Articles

CONSERVATION AND EXPLOITATION OF BANG GRASS EFFECTIVE IN PHU MY VILLAGE, VIETNAM

Phu My located in Kien Giang province, South of Vietnam is a small village with the majority of the population made of a Khmer community. The weather conditions are not encouraging for locals due to serious flooding months. The soils and water are comparatively acidic. Therefore, only Bang grass (Lepironia articulate) - an indicator for the wetland habitats and Nang grass (Eleocharis dulcis.) - the main food of an endangered Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) can thrive. Bang grassland area decreased due to the housing problem. To overcome the decrease of Bang grass and conserve this species, the project Restoration and sustainable exploitation Bang grassland in Phu My, 2004 conducted to help locals make sophisticated handmade products from Bang grass. It is a good way to help the locals to benefit and conserve Bang grass.

Annual Changes in Fecal Sex Hormones with Corresponding Changes in Reproductive Behaviors in Thai Sarus Crane, Black-headed Ibis, and Lesser Adjutant Stork

We monitored annual fecal sex hormones and reproductive displays of five individuals of males and females Thai sarus crane (Grus antigone sharpii), a flock of five males and females black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus), and five pair bonded lesser adjutant stork (Leptoptilos javanicus), all maintained in captivity at Bangprha Waterbird Breeding Research Center. Reproductive behaviors were observed during 0600-1800 h, for four days during the second week of each month and feces were collected monthly to determine annual male total testosterone (mTT) and female estradiol (fE2) levels by radioimmunoassay. Thai sarus crane exhibited a peak mTT in August following a fE2, with a surge in July. Black-headed ibis demonstrated a peak mTT in January prior to a fE2 with a surge in March. Lesser adjutant stork showed a maximal mTT coincidently with fE2 with a surge in October. Thai sarus crane frequently displayed courtship in May-October, corresponding well with higher mTT rather than fE2 levels. Black-headed ibis showed courtship-copulation displays in January, simultaneously with mTT, but not with fE2 surge. Lesser adjutant stork often displayed courtship-copulation in October-January, seemingly corresponded with higher mTT and fE2 levels during October-December and October-November, respectively. Male and female lesser adjutant stork displayed egg-incubation and chick-rearing behaviors in November-January and December-June, respectively. We suggest that mTT and/or fE2 apparently played an important role in regulation of courtship-copulation displays but did not relate to both egg-incubation and chickrearing behaviors.

Status and conservation of avian fauna of Sultanpur National Park Gurgaon, Haryana (India)

The present study was conducted in Sultanpur National Park Gurgaon, Haryana (India) from February, 2011 to January, 2012 to analyze the avian diversity along with its status and abundance. During the study period, a total of 113 species of birds belonging to 14 orders, 35 families and 80 genera were identified. Maximum 41 species belonging to 12 families of order Passeriformes represented 36.28% of the total identified avian fauna while Podicipediformes and Strigiformes were the least represented avian orders (0.88%) with one species each,namely, Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis and Spotted Owlet, Athene brama respectively. Out of total reported 113 species, 64 were ‘resident’ species and 49 were ‘migrant’ species. Most of the migratory species were winter visitors except Red throated flycatcher, Ficedula parva; Orange Headed Thrush, Zoothera citrine and Eurasian Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus which were summer visitors. In all, 42 species were ‘common’, 33 species were ‘uncommon’ and 38 species were ‘occasional’ bird species. Based on sighting, White Breasted Kingfisher, Halcyonsmyrnensis; White Breasted Water Hen, Amaurornis phoenicurus; Common Moorhen, Gallinule chloropus; Black Wing Stilt, Himantopus himantopus; Red Wattled lapwing, Vanellus indicus; Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis and Indian Pond Heron, Ardeola grayii were common wetland bird species of Sultanpur National Park while Pied king fisher, Ceryle rudis and Coppersmith Barbet, Megalaima haemacephala were ‘rarely sighted’ bird species. During the study period, 7 ‘globally threatened’ species, namely, Painted Stork, Mycteria leucocephala; Black neck Stork, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus; Black headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus; Darter, Anhinga melanogaster; Pacific Reef Egret, Egretta sacra; Sarus Crane, Grus antigone alongwith Hogson bushchat, Saxicola insignis were also recorded from the study area.

Agricultural intensification, rainfall patterns, and large waterbird breeding success in the extensively cultivated landscape of Uttar Pradesh, India

In countries with high human populations, using agricultural areas as multifunctional systems to produce food for humans and retain wildlife may be an efficient conservation strategy for many species. Inclusion of natural habitat and species requirements on agricultural landscapes explicitly into planning processes are precluded by lack of information on drivers of species persistence. Climate change is an additional emerging complexity, and adaptation plans for agricultural landscapes are biased towards intensification to secure long-range food production. I examine the conservation potential of an agricultural landscape in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, north India where agricultural intensification and altered rainfall patterns are predicted to occur. I assess stressors affecting breeding success over eight years of two large waterbirds of conservation concern – Sarus Cranes and Black-necked Storks. Both species had high breeding success that improved with total rainfall and more wetlands in breeding territories. Agricultural and township expansions deteriorated territory quality and reduced breeding success. Sarus Crane populations were predicted to decline relatively rapidly if development activities continued to displace breeding pairs. Black-necked Storks appeared resilient over the long-term notwithstanding reduced breeding success in low-rainfall years. Waterbird nesting habitats (wetlands and trees) were retained in Uttar Pradesh as community lands by villages and by state government via legal provisions suggesting the utility of multiple conservation approaches. Incorporating species requirements explicitly, alongside traditional land use practices conducive for habitat conservation, into adaptation planning and conservation policy will be necessary to retain long-term multifunctionality of such agricultural landscapes.

Morphological Observations on the Thrombocyte of Eastern Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone sharpii) in Northeastern Thailand*

Morphological Observations on the Thrombocyte of Eastern Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone sharpii) in Northeastern Thailand*

Levels of Organochlorine Pesticide Residues in Blood Plasma of Various Species of Birds from India

Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were measured in blood plasma of 13 species of birds collected from Ahmedabad, India. Among the various OCPs determined, HCHs and its isomers had higher contribution to the total OCPs. Concentration of summation operatorHCHs varied from 11.4 ng/mL in White ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus to 286 ng/mL in Sarus Crane Grus antigone, while summation operatorDDT ranged between 19 ng/mL in Black Ibis Pseudibis papillosa and 147 ng/mL in Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala. p,p'-DDE was accounted for more than 50% of total DDT in many of the samples analysed. However, a p,p'-DDT to p,p'-DDE ratio higher than one obtained for many species of birds indicates the recent use of DDT in this study region. The concentrations of cyclodiene insecticides, heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin and total endosulfan ranged from 15.8 to 296.2 ng/mL, below detectable level to 15 and 41.1-153.2 ng/mL, respectively. The pattern of total OCP load generally occurred in the following order: granivores < insectivores < omnivores < piscivores < carnivores. Although, the organochlorine residues detected in blood plasma of birds are not indicative of toxicity, the presence of residues in birds over the years (2005-2007) indicates continued exposure to organochlorine compounds. However, continuous monitoring is recommended to facilitate the early identification of risks to the survival of a species.

Morphology and morphometrics of hematological cells from eastern sarus crane, Grus antigone sharpii

The population of the eastern sarus crane (Grus antigone sharpii) has been greatly reduced both in distribution and number, and documents presenting the blood cell characteristics and morphometric data of blood cells in this kind of bird are limited. The objective of this study was to examine the morphometric and morphological aspects of the blood cells of the eastern sarus crane using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that the blood cell characteristics of the eastern sarus crane, i.e., the red blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, heterophils, basophils, eosinophils, and thrombocytes presented a distinct morphology. The morphology of the blood cells of the eastern sarus crane was similar to those of other cranes in the previous report. Moreover, the blood cells of the eastern sarus crane had shown some similarities and differences when compared to other avians, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Regarding the SEM finding, the lymphocytes were round cells with a rough membrane. The monocytes were larger than the lymphocytes, and the membrane surface of the lymphocytes was different from that of the monocytes. The heterophils were round with fine regular spherical spines on the membrane surface. The basophils were tiny round cells with a rough membrane surface, and a few spines protruded from the membrane surface. The eosinophils were round cells with many spherical spines protruding from their membrane surface. The thrombocytes had a pancake-like oval shape with a spread monolayer. The characteristic differences between the eastern sarus crane and other animals were the dimension and granule morphology.

Conservation Regime and Local Population Ecology of Sarus Crane (Grus antigone antigone) in West-Central Region of Nepal

The research explores the current and future conservation regime, and local population ecology of globally threatened water bird Sarus Crane (Grus antigone antigone) in Rupandehi, and Kapilvastu districts of Nepal. The study strongly recommended to declaring certain areas of these districts as a Sarus Crane Conservation Area (SCCA) for its future better management regime. A total of 168 Sarus Cranes were recorded in the area (100 in Rupandehi and 68 in Kapilvastu district). Overall population density of Sarus Crane was 9.3 individual/100 km2. Seventy percent of Sarus Cranes were using farmland while 30% using wetland as a regular habitat. Current threats to the Sarus Crane population are habitat loss and degradation, high electrical cable line, sugar cane cultivation surrounding the Sarus crane habitat, dam and cementation in water canal, water pollution due to nutrients and chemical leakage in water bodies, environmental contamination and other anthropogenic causes. Key words: Sarus crane, threatened, low land, wetlands DOI: 10.3126/jowe.v3i0.2224 Journal of Wetlands Ecology, (2009) Vol. 3, pp 1-11

Nature Watch

India is the main abode of theworld’s tallest flying bird called the Sarus Crane. Their population, however, has shown a steady decline over the past few decades. Several factors are believed to be responsible for this. Alterations of the landscape to agriculture leading to habitat loss and other socioecological factors are the main reasons of this declination. This article will introduce some of these features and current status of this famous historical bird.

Are Rice Paddies Suboptimal Breeding Habitat for Sarus Cranes in Uttar Pradesh, India?

Abstract. The globally threatened Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) has low annual productivity and occurs mostly in landscapes dominated by agriculture; it is therefore vulnerable to extinction caused by human-related disturbance and mortality. The Sarus Crane's increased use of rice paddies as breeding habitat has fueled concerns that the species is being forced to use suboptimal habitats. To assess the issue, I studied nest-site selection and quantified nest and brood survival of Sarus Cranes in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, during 2000 and 2001 and evaluated differences between natural wetlands and rice paddies. The cranes preferred wetlands as nesting habitat at the levels of both the landscape and individual territory. The success (daily survival rate) of nests closer to roads was lower, suggesting that human-related mortality played a role. The effect of habitat on nest success was equivocal, suggesting that rice fields per se are not suboptimal as nesting sites. This result is unique to this area, sugg...

Molecular Analysis for Genetic Diversity and Distance of Introduced Grus antigone sharpii L. to Thailand

The genetic relationship was examined in a population of Grus antigone sharpii L. using DNA markers from the ISSR technique for applying towards breeding purposes for conservation of species. Since their extinction from Thailand, sixteen eastern sarus cranes: Grus antigone sharpii L. provided from Cambodia were fed and bred to sixty individuals at Nakhonratchasima Zoo, Northeastern Thailand to re-exist in Thai natural sites. Their genetic diversity and distance were examined to test their possibility to adapt to environmental variation. Blood samples from 27 individuals of Grus antigone sharpii L. were collected and DNA was extracted. These DNA samples were amplified using the successful fifteen from twenty four primers inter simple sequences repeat markers. A dendrogram was constructed and shows distance values of the species between 12.1 and 53.5. The samples produced 63.96% polymorphic banding profiles. The genetic diversity (H') in this population was estimated using Shannon's index. The high H' value of 0.501 reflected the somewhat wide range of distribution sites, which would adapt to environmental variations. Genetic evenness is 0.152. This value supports that all the studied samples have a small equal genetic abundance.

Conservation of the Vulnerable sarus crane Grus antigone antigone in Kota, Rajasthan, India: a case study of community involvement

The sarus crane, a bird species characteristic of wetlands, is categorized as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In India, sarus cranes occur mostly outside protected areas and use these unprotected areas for feeding and breeding. They are consequently threatened by poaching and the destruction of their eggs and juveniles. To protect the crane's habitat and nests a community education and awareness campaign was carried out, using audiovisual shows and presentations, in villages and schools in the vicinity of sarus crane nesting sites in Kota district, Rajasthan. In 2004–2005 protection of 22 nests by volunteer Rural Village Sarus Protection Groups, formed as a result of the campaign, resulted in the successful fledging of 19 chicks, including some in the dry season. Our experience with this project demonstrated that it is possible to re-establish a bond between farmers and nature, and work on community involvement for the sarus crane is continuing, with the involvement of more districts in Rajasthan.

Morphological Observations on the Thrombocyte of Eastern Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone sharpii) in Northeastern Thailand

Morphological Observations on the Thrombocyte of Eastern Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone sharpii) in Northeastern Thailand

Recruitment rate of Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone) in northern Queensland

Annual recruitment of Sarus Cranes was estimated from 1997 to 2002, by means of observed proportions of juveniles in non-breeding flocks on the Atherton Tableland. Survey conditions were considered free of confounding influences as to provide the first accurate estimate of recruitment for the Australian population of this species. Mean recruitment over the 6-year period was 6.58%, with no significant variation between years. Comparison with other crane populations indicates that the recruitment rate is low, but further detailed data are needed to evaluate properly the status of the population.

Mortality of sarus cranes (Grus antigone) due to electricity wires in Uttar Pradesh, India

Although overhead electrical wires are known to have caused severe declines of bird populations, there are no studies in India that address this danger, even for endangered species. Rates of mortality, factors affecting mortality and population effects of electrical wires on the globally endangered sarus crane (Grus antigone) were assessed for breeding and non-breeding cranes in Etawah and Mainpuri districts, Uttar Pradesh, India. Non-breeding cranes were most susceptible to wires and, within territories, mortalities were higher for pre-dispersed young. Similar proportions of non-breeding and breeding cranes were killed, together accounting for nearly 1% of the total sarus crane population annually. Supply wires accounted for the majority of sarus crane deaths, and only non-breeding cranes were killed by both supply and high-tension power lines. Non-breeding crane deaths at roost sites were correlated with numbers of roosting birds and numbers of wires at each site. Over 40% of 251 known sarus crane territories had at least one overhead wire posing a risk to breeding adults and pre-dispersed young. A risk index for wires over territories of cranes was computed; mortality was not affected by increasing the number and therefore risk posed by wires. Most crane deaths in territories occurred as a result of wires at edges of territories. Wires around roosting sites, territoriality and age of sarus cranes appear to be the most important factors affecting their mortality due to wires. Mitigation measures will be most effective around roost sites and for wires that border territories of breeding pairs.

Habitat evaluation for sarus crane in the Keoladeo National Park using IRS LISS III and pan merged data and GIS

The Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, a man-made fresh water wetland carved out of a natural depression on the floodplain of two minor tributaries of the Yamuna-Gambhir and the Banganga is the country’s finest waterfowl habitat. This important wetland was set aside as a bird sanctuary in 1956 and it was elevated to the status of a National Park in 1981. It was also designated a Ramsar site- a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention. This important wetland has distinction of being the only Indian wetland to be included under both the Ramsar and the World Heritage convention.

Geographical partitioning of microsatellite variation in the sarus crane

The sarus crane (Grus antigone) ranges across two continents and is the only species of crane (Gruidae) that breeds in India and Southeast Asia. Four subspecies, the Indian sarus (G. a. antigone), the eastern sarus (G. a. sharpii), the Australian sarus (G. a. gillae) and the extinct Philippine sarus (G. a. luzonica) were originally described through morphological, plumage, and/or geographical differences. The ranges of the Indian and eastern sarus converge in eastern India and Myanmar, but the Australian sarus has a disjunct Australian distribution. This study assesses population genetic structure of the current sarus populations utilising 13 DNA microsatellite loci. Population structure within this species was investigated utilising traditional FST and Bayesian clustering methods. While significant divergence was observed among populations when individuals were assigned to geographical populations, analyses based solely on individual genotypes demonstrated a clinal nature to the variation. The results of this study suggest that the Indian and eastern sarus cranes represent two major breeding groups within Asia and that the birds from Myanmar probably reside in an introgression zone between them. Lastly, because of genetic similarities shown to the eastern sarus, the results support recent theories contending that the Australian sarus was derived from mainland Asian birds.

Mortality of globally threatened Sarus cranes Grus antigon from monocrotophos poisoning in India

Globally threatened Sarus cranes Grus antigon are resident at Keoladeo National Park World Heritage site and the surrounding area near Bharatpur, Western Rajasthan, India. In winter, they are joined by c. 200 wintering common cranes Grus grus. On 23 November 2000, 15 Sarus cranes and three common cranes were found dead in a field adjacent to the park, where wheat seed had been sown the previous day. Chemical analyses of seed samples from the field and the cranes’ alimentary tract contents identified residues of the organophosphate insecticide monocrotophos. Monocrotophos concentrations of 0.8 and 1.8 ppm were found in wheat samples, and 0.2–0.74 ppm ( x=0.33) in the alimentary tract contents of five of the seven cranes examined. No other organophosphate or organochlorine pesticides were detected. We conclude that the cranes died from monocrotophos poisoning after eating treated seed. We discuss similar incidents of avian mortality, and recommend that measures be taken to reduce these.

A study on the distribution, demography and conservation status of Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) in Etawah District, Uttar Pradesh, India

1166 Abstract An ecological survey of Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) was carried out for a period of two years in Etawah District, Uttar Pradesh to determine their distribution, demography and conservation status. A total of 136 adults and 17 juveniles were counted during the first survey and 144 adults and 12 juveniles were counted during the second survey. Most of them were found to occupy areas with large natural wetlands and adjoining crop fields. Breeding pairs and juveniles contributed a fraction of the population. Several factors affecting the breeding and distribution of the cranes and their implication on the conservation of the species are also discussed.

A Review of the Three Subspecies of Sarus Cranes Grus antigone

The Sarus Crane is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and degradation, hunting, and collision with power lines. Conservation efforts for the Sarus Crane include habitat protection and restoration, research, and public education. In India, the Sarus Crane is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and is considered a sacred bird by some communities. In Australia, the Australian Sarus Crane is protected under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. In Cambodia, the Eastern Sarus Crane is protected under the Fisheries Law of 1994 and the Wildlife Protection Law of 2002. In Vietnam, the Eastern Sarus Crane is protected under the Law on the Protection of Wild Animals and Plants of 2006.