PRELIMS BOOSTERS – 2018: Sarus crane (Antigone antigone) and IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa)

PRELIMS BOOSTERS – 2018

Sarus crane (Antigone antigone) and IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa)

Sarus crane (Antigone antigone)

1. Vulnerable (VU) — IUCN
2. state bird of Uttar Pradesh
3. largest known flocks —  Keoladeo National Park
4. non-migratory crane
5. tallest of the flying birds
6. name — Sanskrit word sarasa for the “lake bird”,
7. CITES Appendix II
8. Habitat

• inhabit open wet and dry grasslands, agricultural fields, marshes and pools, 
• found in parts of the

1. Indian Subcontinent — India, Nepal andPakistan
2. Southeast Asia — Cambodia, extreme southernLaos, south Vietnam, Myanmar
3. Australia

9. Cultural significance

• considered symbols of marital fidelity
• It is believed to mate for life and pine the loss of their mates even to the point of starving to death

10. Threats

• loss and degradation of wetlands, as a result of drainage and conversion to agriculture
• ingestion of pesticides
• hunting of adults
• collection of eggs and chicks for trade, food, medicinal purposes and, in some areas, to help prevent damage to crops

IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa)

1. international tripartite grouping for promoting international cooperation among three countries
2. represents three important poles for galvanizing South-South cooperation

3. Brasilia Declaration

• established a Trilateral Commission at the level of Foreign Ministers.
• Call for reforms in the United Nations, especially the Security Council

4. Cooperation in IBSA is on three fronts

• forum for consultation and coordination on global and regional political issues, such as, the reform of the global institutions of political and economic governance, WTO/Doha Development Agenda, climate change, terrorism etc
• trilateral collaboration on concrete areas/projects, through fourteen working groups and six People-to-People Forums, for the common benefit of three countries
• assisting other developing countries by taking up projects in the latter through IBSA Fund

5. IBSA Trust Fund Agreement — fight poverty in developing countries

6. IBSAMAR –Joint Naval Exercises of IBSA countries