Siberian Crane Flyway Coordination

Established under UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetlands Project (SCWP) and Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Conservation Measures for the Siberian Crane (CMS MoU).

A Siberian Crane Flyway Coordinator, Elena Ilyashenko, based in Moscow, coordinates flyway level activities in Western and Central Asia, while Simba Chan, Flyway Officer of North East Asian Crane Site Network (NEACSN) is the focal point for coordination of activities in NE Asia.

Siberian Crane (Grus leucogeranus) is the third rarest of all cranes and probably the most threatened. It's a large charismatic bird that symbolizes long life and good marriages, but the species has fallen prey to hunting, mostly in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Siberian Crane represents a “flagship species” for conservation of migratory birds and wetlands. The species numbers around 3,000 and is listed in the Red Data Book as Endangered, with the western and central populations listed as Critically Endangered and the eastern population listed as Endangered. The decline of the Siberian Crane is primarily due to the impact of human activities, including the killing and disturbance of waterbirds, and the loss and degradation of the wetlands upon which the birds depend.

The Siberian Crane has the longest migration route of the fifteen crane species. There are three Siberian Crane Flyways (see map). The Western Flyway links the breeding grounds in Western Siberia with wintering areas in northern Iran. The Central Flyway links breeding grounds in Western Siberia with wintering places in India. The Western and Central Flyways overlap on their breeding and migratory areas in Russia and north-western Kazakhstan. The Eastern Flyway links breeding territory in north-eastern Siberia with wintering places in China, at Poyang Lake.

For contacts: Elena Ilyashenko, ICF/CMS Siberian Crane Flyway Coordinator

Tel/Fax: (095) 205-90-01; eilyashenko@savingcranes.org

Siberian Crane. Photo by Irina Gavrilova

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