Black-necked Crane Exchange visit by the RSPN team to Ladakh, India

Supported by India Bhutan Foundation (IBF), RSPN team made an exchange visit to Ladakh in India in August 2024 to foster partnership between Ladakh and RSPN in the area of Black-necked Crane (BNC) conservation. Ladakh is the only BNC summer breeding habitat in India with a population of around 100 birds. Findings from preliminary research indicate that there is a possibility of the cranes in Ladakh migrating to Bhutan. However, there is no detailed research done yet to establish this fact.  One of the key reasons of the RSPN team visiting Ladakh was to fill this knowledge gap in addition to exploring the possibility of initiating collaborative conservation programs that include both the migration study and the knowledge-sharing programs.  

Overall, the visit was insightful and useful and the RSPN would like to thank the India-Bhutan Foundation for their generous support in making this visit happen. The following are some of the key take-aways from the visit:

1. The RSPN is able to foster partnership with the various Government Organizations, including Chief Conservator of Ladakh and Non-Governmental Organizations in Ladakh. Such networks and partnership are useful to take this conservation program to the next level.
2. Identified key agencies in Ladakh for developing a regional BNC transboundary conservation action plan. On the request from the RSPN counterpart in Ladakh, RSPN had committed to support tagging of BNC in Ladakh in August-September 2025. This is useful to ascertain whether Ladakh cranes migrate to Bhutan. 
3. As part of conservation exchange program, officials from Ladakh have indicated to visit Phobjikha, Bhutan.
4. BNC festival in Bhutan has become an exemplary event providing visibility and publicity for crane conservation as well as increasing local communities’ income through international guest attending the festival.  The recent BNC festival held on 11th November, 2024 had around 800 international guest participants. RSPN and Government Agencies in Ladakh had agreed to explore possibility of replicating this BNC festival in Ladakh

The Himalayan Foundation for Conservation Leadership (HFCL) is the RSPN counterpart in India and we remain grateful for their support in facilitating this exchange visit.

The India-Bhutan Foundation was established on August 29, 2003, through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India. Its primary objective is to enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, focusing on educational, cultural, scientific, and technical fields. For more information about the India-Bhutan Foundation, visit their website: https://www.indiabhutanfoundation.com/index.php.