why do siberian crane migrate in india?
The Siberian Cranes nest in western Siberia . During Winter season in Siberia , they migrate to India which is their wintering ground.The migration route stretches for 4000 miles. Their resting place at the time of migration is the Lake Ab-i-Estada in Afghanistan. The Kaladeo Ghana National Park or the Bharatpur National Park has been declared a world heritage site because the Siberian Crane traverses nearly half of the globe to reach it. The Siberian Crane is presently an endangered species. Larger numbers of birds have been hunted down over the years especially when they undertake the perilous journeys across the Himalayas to reach the wet land. They are shot down in Pakistan to be gifted to friends and relatives. This has led to a severe decline in the number of Siberian Cranes in the world. The immediate need of the hour is to provide safety to the Siberian cranes along their migration route. This popular visitor has not been seen in the last two years in India. The last pair of Siberian Cranes which had made the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary their seasonal home in the year 2002 was not seen in the year 2003. Their absence is indeed painful and one of the aims of the Crane foundation is to bring back the Siberian Crane to India.
Would you spend a winter in Siberia if you could fly south?
