Source: TOI
Context: A Siberian Demoiselle crane, nicknamed Sukpak, has set a new migratory record by flying 3,676 km to Khichan in Rajasthan, surpassing the previous distance of 2,800 km.
About Siberian Demoiselle Crane:
- Scientific Name: Anthropoides virgo (also referred to as Grus virgo).
- Breeding Range: Central Asia to Mongolia, east to Northeast China.
- Wintering Range: Primarily western India, with large congregations in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- Migration Path: Traditionally via Himalayan valleys, with notable reverse routes like Sukpak’s journey through Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
- Cultural Significance: Known as koonj or kurjaa in Indian culture, symbolically important in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- IUCN Status: Listed as Least Concern.
- Conservation Efforts: Khichan in Rajasthan is India’s first Demoiselle crane conservation reserve, hosting 20,000 cranes annually during their winter migration.
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