Endangered crane population expands in Tibet

BEIJING: The population of a critically endangered crane has continued to increase in Tibet thanks to enhanced conservation efforts in recent years,an environmental protection official has said.

Tibet currently has more than 8,000 black-necked cranes, at least 80 per cent of the world's total, said Jampel, deputy chief of the regional environment protection administration.

The figure represented a significant increase from 6,900 reported in 2007, and 3,900 in 1992, Jampel said, according to a report in the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Black-necked cranes are native to the plateau regions of China, India, Bhutan and Nepal. They are among some 90 endangered species on China's top protection list, along with the giant panda and golden monkey.

The species is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species, with less than 10,000 in the world.

Black-necked cranes are often seen in Tibet's river valleys and in the region's barley and wheat fields in winter. They migrate to northern Tibet between mid March and late April to reproduce in the lakeside marshes.

Tibet has set up several nature reserves to protect the rare birds in recent decades, Jampel said.