Hooded crane  (Grus monacha)

As with many wetland habitats, the wetlands of South Korea and China are being drained for development and dam-building. Many paddy fields are being converted into cotton fields, which are less suitable as a wintering habitat for the hooded crane. In China, pollution of coastal waters, pesticide poisoning, human disturbance and over-fishing are all threatening this species, but the most serious potential threat comes as a result of the feeding station in Izumi, Japan. Because such high concentrations of hooded crane are found in one area, the species is at risk of disease which could potentially affect up to 80 percent of the population. Some hunting of the hooded crane also occurs, particularly at the breeding grounds (2). In addition, the number of birds in Mongolia during the summer has decreased over the last few years due to fire, overgrazing and drought (6) (7).

There are many protected areas that cover key sites for this bird, including the Mongol Daguur and Numrug Strictly Protected Areas in Mongolia (6) (7), but more protected areas in the Bikin river basin in Russia and in Sucheon Bay in South Korea would be of benefit (2). In addition, this species is listed in the Hunting Law and Red Data Book of Mongolia as a rare species, and therefore hunting of the hooded crane is prohibited in Mongolia (6) (7).

Since the early 1950s, the government of Japan has provided funding to feed cranes in Izumi. At the start there were several hundreds of hooded cranes, but this figure has risen to 8,000 (3). It has been proposed to try to increase the wintering area across Japan, thereby lessening the risk of the whole population being lost to disease should it break out. It is also important to reduce the threats that arise from the Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze in China. It has caused changes in water flow which alter the surrounding land and prevent migratory fish from spawning (2). A new wintering population was discovered in South Korea in 1996 and the area has since been protected as a Special Nature Reserve (3).