Arif and his Saras: The special bond between crane and Indian farmer

Saras Crane

• It is the tallest flying bird in the world standing 152-156 cm tall with a wingspan of 240cm. It is a large nonmigratory crane.
• Scientific name: Grus Antigone
• It is a social creature, found mostly in pairs or small groups of three or four.
• Known to mate for life with a single partner, its breeding season coincides with heavy rainfall in monsoon.
• It has three disjunct populations in the Indian sub-continent, south-east Asia, and northern Australia with an estimated global population of 25,000-37,000 individuals. 
• In the Indian subcontinent, it is found in northern and central India, Terai Nepal, and Pakistan. 
• It was once a common site in the paddy fields of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. 
• The Sarus crane is known for its ability to live in association with humans, inhabiting open, cultivated, well-watered plains, marshlands and jheels. 
• IUCN status: Vulnerable
• It is listed under schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Major Threats

• Loss and degradation of wetlands, as a result of drainage and conversion to agriculture. 
• Ingestion of pesticides. 
• The hunting of adults and collection of eggs and chicks for trade, food, medicinal purposes and, in certain areas, to help prevent damage to crops. 
• Collision with power lines poses a significant threat in parts of its range.