Cranes

This landmark volume provides a wealth of information to guide the conserva­tion of the world’s fifteen species of cranes and the ecosystems where they occur. It reflects the work and knowledge of dozens of devoted colleagues in the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Crane Specialist Group. The book updates and builds upon the group’s first report, The cranes: status survey and conservation action plan (1996).

Cranes have coexisted with agriculture for centuries in some regions and may often benefit from cropland or grazing. However, the rapid expansion and intensification of agriculture is leading to severe loss of wetland and grassland habitats important to cranes, thus increasing the conflicts between cranes and farmers. Agriculture has been one of the main drivers behind severe population declines for 11 of 15 species of cranes in the world, and affects all species in one way or another.

Cranes, a flagship species of waterbirds, have great cultural significance - especially the Siberian Crane. Yet, even after decades of conservation efforts, cranes remain threatened with 11 species at risk. To help reverse these trends, the UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetland Project  was the first project to its kind to take a "flyway" approach to conservation, looking to secure the ecological integrity of a network of 16 critical wetlands in Eurasia.

Collection of photos of white-naped cranes as seen in Korea. The publication includes two essays regarding the cranes and their habitats, as well as an introduction by and CV of the photographer.