The Cranes Compiled by Curt D
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Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan The Cranes Compiled by Curt D. Meine and George W. Archibald IUCN/SSC Crane Specialist Group IUCN The World Conservation Union IUCN/Species Survival Commission Donors to the SSC Conservation Communications Fund and The Cranes: Status Survey & Conservation Action Plan The IUCN/Species Survival Commission Conservation Communications Fund was established in 1992 to assist SSC in its efforts to communicate important species conservation information to natural resource managers, deci- sion-makers and others whose actions affect the conservation of biodiversity. The SSC's Action Plans, occasional papers, news magazine (Species), Membership Directory and other publi- cations are supported by a wide variety of generous donors including: The Sultanate of Oman established the Peter Scott IUCN/SSC Action Plan Fund in 1990. The Fund supports Action Plan development and implementation; to date, more than 80 grants have been made from the Fund to Specialist Groups. As a result, the Action Plan Programme has progressed at an accelerated level and the network has grown and matured significantly. The SSC is grateful to the Sultanate of Oman for its confidence in and sup- port for species conservation worldwide. The Chicago Zoological Society (CZS) provides significant in-kind and cash support to the SSC, including grants for special projects, editorial and design services, staff secondments and related support services. The President of CZS and Director of Brookfield Zoo, George B. Rabb, serves as the volunteer Chair of the SSC. The mis- sion of CZS is to help people develop a sustainable and harmonious relationship with nature. The Zoo carries out its mis- sion by informing and inspiring 2,000,000 annual visitors, serving as a refuge for species threatened with extinction, developing scientific approaches to manage species successfully in zoos and the wild, and working with other zoos, agencies, and protected areas around the world to conserve habitats and wildlife. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) makes a significant annual contribution to the SSC Conservation Communications Fund, in addition to grants for in situ conservation coordinated by the SSC. NWF is the largest non- governmental, non-profit conservation-education and advocacy organization in the United States. It emphasizes assisting individuals and organizations of all cultures, in the United States and abroad, to conserve wildlife and other natural resources and to protect the earth's environment to assure a peaceful, equitable, and sustainable future. The Taiwan Council of Agriculture (TCOA) has awarded major grants to the SSC's Wildlife Trade Programme and Conservation Communications Programmes. This support has enabled SSC to continue its valuable technical advisory service to the Parties to CITES as well as to the larger global conservation community. Among other responsibilities, the TCOA is in charge of matters concerning the designation and management of nature reserves, conservation of wildlife and their habitats, conservation of natural landscapes, coordination of law enforcement efforts as well as promotion of conservation education, research and international cooperation. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) provides significant annual operating support to the SSC. WWF's con- tribution supports the SSC's minimal infrastructure and helps ensure that the voluntary network and Publications Programme are adequately supported. WWF aims to conserve nature and ecological processes by: (1) preserving genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity; (2) ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable both now and in the longer term; and (3) promoting actions to reduce pollution and the wasteful exploitation and con- sumption of resources and energy. WWF is one of the world's largest independent conservation organizations with a network of National Organizations and Associates around the world and over 5.2 million regular supporters. WWF con- tinues to be known as World Wildlife Fund in Canada and in the United States of America. Publication of The Cranes was made possible by generous in-kind support from the International Crane Foundation (ICF). ICF was established in 1973 by co-founders Dr. George Archibald and Dr. Ronald Sauey, and has since served as the world center for the conservation of cranes and their habitats. ICF promotes crane conserva- tion activities through education, research, publications, habitat protection and management, captive propagation and reintroduction, and cooperative international programmes. ICF works with other organizations, including IUCN and BirdLife International, to promote vital crane conservation projects. ICF's activities are supported, in part, by its 6,000 members. Some 30,000 people visit ICF's headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA each year to learn about cranes and the global efforts to ensure their survival. Other contributors to production of The Cranes are: the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Mr. James Bayly, Canadian Wildlife Sevice, Environment Canada, Mrs. Barbara Canton, Dr. Kenneth Edwards, Dr. Martin Edwards, Mrs. Norma Edwards, Mr. Edmund A. Stanley, Jr., and the U.S. Department of State. In addition to its generous sup- port of SSC's Conservation Communications Fund, the National Wildlife Federation awarded a separate grant to sup- port production of this publication. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan The Cranes Compiled by Curt D. Meine and George W. Archibald IUCN/SSC Crane Specialist Group The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland Copyright: © 1996 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational and other non-commercial purposes is authorised without permission from the copyright holder, provided the source is cited and the copyright holder receives a copy of the reproduced material. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Meine, Curt D. and Archibald, George W. (Eds) 1996. The Cranes: - Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, U.K. 294pp ISBN: 2-8317-0326-3 Cover photo: The central population of the endangered Siberian Crane at Keoladeo National Park in India. The population contained more than 30 individuals through the early 1980s. No birds were seen on the wintering grounds in 1993-94 and 1994-95. Four individuals reappeared at Keoladeo National Park in February 1996. © International Crane Foundation. Produced by: Canadian Museum of Nature Printed by: M.O.M. Printing, Ottawa, Canada Available from: IUCN Publications Services Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1223 277894 Fax +44 1223 277175 E-mail: [email protected]. WWW: http://www.icun.org A catalog of IUCN publications with prices, order form and payment methods is available from the same address The text of this book is printed on 80 Ib Lithofect 50% recycled paper, containing 20% post consumer waste ii Preface The fifteen species of cranes constitute one of the most the idea of sustainable land use. Cooperative crane conserva- endangered families of birds in the world. Cranes have also tion and habitat restoration projects have played a substantial played an important role in the rise of the international con- role in the development of new forms of international collab- servation movement. In particular, the recovery of the oration. The cranes have accomplished what diplomats have Whooping Crane from near extinction has provided strong been unable to do, bringing together scientists, conservation- impetus to the conservation movement, and has opened the ists, and government officials from countries whose relations eyes of many people to the steep price that we pay for ignor- for many years have been less than friendly. ing the damage we cause to the natural world. As of today, however, many crane conservation goals have The establishment of the International Crane Foundation yet to be achieved. Often the most important and valuable (ICF) in 1973 and of Crane Working Groups in countries and information has been unavailable to those who need it. The sit- regions around the world has stimulated unprecedented inter- uation in different crane habitats is highly dynamic, so that est in cranes among specialists and the broader public in coun- even small local changes in certain populations can signifi- tries with diverse political and economic systems — including cantly affect the status of species as a whole. The time is now the USA, the former Soviet Union, Japan, China, South Korea, ripe for a unified working document that coordinates the India, Iran, South Africa, and Australia. Thanks to the active efforts and plans of all organizations and individuals involved programs of ICF, cooperative programs for the conservation of in the conservation of cranes and their natural habitats. cranes have been initiated among many of these countries. This action plan provides such a document. This publica- Even during the most difficult years of the Cold War era, suc- tion is unique in its highly detailed and complete treatment of cessful crane conservation programs