Annual Black-necked Crane Count for Bhutan for 2015-2016 Winter Period

By February the migration of Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) from China is usually considered complete. The number of Black-necked Cranes in various habitats in the country are at its peak at this time of the year and it is the perfect time to conduct the annual count.

The annual count at the national level is conducted following a simple vantage point count method simultaneously in all the habitat. The count is coordinated by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) and the Department of Forest and Part Services (DoFPS).

In recent years, other stakeholders have been involved in the count as well. The count helps in understanding the population trend of the cranes and also monitoring the juvenile population which are very useful. The count is normally carried in the morning before the cranes fly away from their roosting area.

For this season (2015-2016 winter period), the annual count was conducted on 3^rd February at 0600 hours. The date and time for the count was fixed in close consultation with all the stakeholders across the habitats.

A record of 609 cranes including 68 juveniles were counted. This is indeed the highest record in the past 30 winter period records maintained with RSPN. Of the total of 609 Black-necked Cranes, 68 were juvenile. Compared to last winter period (2014-2015) which saw 544 cranes, this year Bhutan have an additional of 65 cranes. Phobjikha valley have an additional of 61 cranes compared to last winter period with 396.

Black-necked Cranes annual count figure for 2015-2016 Winter Period:

The Black-necked cranes start migrating to warmer areas in winter from their summer habitats in Tibetan Autonomous Region, China in the last week of October and fly back to their summer habitats in last week of February to mid-March.

RSPN monitors and maintains records of Black-necked cranes in Phobjikha (Gangtey and Phobji Gewog) which is the largest winter habitats of the bird in Bhutan. The Black-necked Crane Visitor Centre maintained by RSPN in Phobjikha provide valuable information on the bird and the wetland conservation efforts to visitors. Black-necked Cranes are legally protected in Bhutan. Both the Forest and Nature Conservation Act of Bhutan (FNCA), 1995 and the Forest and Nature Conservation Rules (FNCR) of Bhutan, 2006 have listed the bird under Schedule I as protected bird species. The FNCR and the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP) of Bhutan, 2014, regards it as an endangered bird species.

Most of the Black-necked Cranes habitat in Bhutan falls under protected areas or some sort of protected area. Bumdeling and Khotokha have been designated as Ramsar Site No. 2032 and Site No. 2033 respectively since 2012.

Acknowledgements:

RSPN would like to thank all the individuals involved in the Annual Count and various agencies for their continued support. The 2015-2016 simultaneous annual was successful with the support of the following stakeholders;

1. Department of Forest and Park Services: In Bumthang : Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment, Wangchuck Centennial National Park, Chumey Range Office, Tang Range Office. In Trashiyangtse: Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. In Lhuntse: Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park
2. Local Government: In Khotokha: Gup, Nahi Gewog. In Chokhor: Tshogpa, Chokhor Gewog.
3. Others: In Phobjikha: Staffs of Aman Kora Resorts.

BNC Population form 1987-2016:

Reported by: Santa Lal Gajmer and Tshering Phuntsho.

Pictures: Gen Kato (JICA Volunteer at the Black-necked Crane Visitor Center)