China is making efforts to protect the rare
black-necked
crane (Grus nigricollus), one of the world's 15 species of
crane.
China has placed it on the level-one protection list and created
several nature reserves to protect its habitat. Recent news
reported that some black-necked cranes are living in harmony with
local farmers in the remote mountains of Southwest China's Yunnan
Province. So we decided to visit them.
Traveling some 370 kilometers northeast from Kunming, capital
of Yunnan, one reaches Zhaotong. Another bumpy 70 kilometers from
there leads you to Dashanbao Township. Sitting on an average
elevation of 3,000 meters above sea level, the township is
surrounded by billowing hills.
Surprise encounter
In
the early morning, we walked along the Tiaodun River to look for
the cranes. Two hours passed without one sighting. Just as we were
about to give up, a local farmer named Yang Deneng volunteered to
help.
We
arrived at Yang's Hexing Village in the afternoon to find several
black-necked cranes feeding in the rice paddy fields on the
slopes.
We
slowly approached the graceful birds. Just 10 meters from us, the
five fairy-like birds were busy concentrating on picking grass
roots and tiny fish from the field. Quite used to human presence,
they continued without noticing us.
As
we took pictures, our guide Yang said, "Don't frighten them. They
will fly to the nearby river and spend the night there. You can
take more pictures tomorrow morning."
Daylight had hardly illuminated the hills when we set out towards
the river. Again, we were surprised by nature's beauty - in three
or four groups, nearly 80 black-necked cranes were cleaning their
feathers and playing with each other in the shallow waters. When
the sun rose over the mountain, the cranes started dancing and
singing songs which the ancient Chinese once described as "reaching
the ninth level of Heaven."
Brief history
Although cranes were mentioned in "The Book of Songs" over 2,000
years ago, the black-necked crane was not discovered until 1876 at
Qinghai
Lake in today's
Qinghai Province in Northwest China.
Living on the lakes or marshland 2,000 meters above sea level, the
black-necked cranes feed on turnips, grass roots, potatoes,
highland barley, and also frogs, insects and small fish.
Every October and November, they fly to winter habitats in
Southwest China's Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, southern Sichuan Province
and the southeastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region. In March
and April, they return to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and northern
Sichuan to breed.
As
the natural habitat of the black-necked cranes is harsh in
condition, few chicks of the crane species survive.
According to the latest survey conducted by ornithologists from
China and the United States, only about 5,500 black-necked cranes
are left on Earth. Like the giant panda, it is regarded as one of
the most endangered species in the world that needs immediate
protection.
In
1985, the Chinese Government presented two black-necked cranes to
the International Crane
Foundation (ICF), the world's leading research group on crane
species.
Although researchers have discovered basic facts about the large
bird, much work remains.
Volunteer protectors
An
expanse of marshland, Dahaizi is another important habitat for the
black-necked cranes at Dashanbao. Near the marshland, Dong Yulan
and her fellow villagers have become close friends of the
cranes.
Since 1994, Dong has been placing corn or turnips around the
cranes' habitat once or twice everyday from December to March.
At
first, the cranes were shy and didn't dare eat the food. Dong
thought that the stronger fragrance of oats would attract the birds
so she brought out the oats which her family depends on throughout
the winter, to feed the cranes. Gradually, the cranes began to
follow or gather around her as she passed out oats, corn grains or
turnip chips.
"It's lovely to see them dancing and singing around you. It's
really a lovely sight," Dong said.
A
few years ago, she discovered a crane whose legs were injured and
could not walk. She brought it home and fed it for several days
before sending it to the Black-Necked Crane Protection Station in
the township.
All of the dwellers in Dahaizi Village cherish the black-necked
cranes. During the harvest season, the cranes often pick out seeds
and grains from the field, but the villagers never frighten the
birds away.
"The cranes fly to our place because they like us. They are living
beings. We can't harm them," Dong said.
According to the Forestry Bureau of Zhaotong, over 1,300
black-necked cranes have been found wintering in 19 habitats in
Zhaotong. Dashanbao Township hosts over half of the cranes and
became a provincial level nature reserve in 1994, covering nearly
200 square kilometers.
With the efforts of the local government and local farmers, the
number of black-necked cranes coming here has increased from the
initial 300 in 1993.
But at the same time, local farmers have had to remove grass from
the marshland for firewood, which has reduced the amount of water
in the cranes' habitat. The increasing human population with
growing numbers of cattle is also posing a threat to the rare
birds.
"We will try our utmost to protect this national treasure," said
Sun Dehui, director of the Volunteer Association to Protect
Black-Necked Cranes in Zhaotong, China.
(China
Daily 08/30/2001)