The black-necked crane is an Asian crane breeding in remote parts of the Tibetan plateau, India and Bhutan. An average-sized animal (approximately 4.5 foot) with a 7.8-foot wingspan, and weighing about 5.5 kg.
They are known as ‘Trung-Trung Karmo’ and migrate from Tibet and China’s Xinjiang district to Arunachal Pradesh every winter. It breeds and can be spotted in the Sangit, Chug valleys and Zemithang provinces of Arunachal Pradesh. This bird is held sacred by Monpas, a major Buddhist groups of Arunachal Pradesh and is considered as an incarnation of the sixth Dalai Lama i.e. Tsangyang Gyatso.
The black-necked crane is protected by Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, That is one of the highest protection schemes given to wild animals and is considered vulnerable by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) in the list of Near Threatened Species.
Read the article till the end to know everything about this trending topic for the upcoming UPSC IAS Civil Service Examination.
Key Features of the Bird – Important Facts for UPSC IAS Exam
There are some notable physical features of the bird:
- Both the genders in this species are of the same size. Although, the male is very slightly taller than the female.
- The crane usually has a greyish body with a black neck. Lores and the crown are uncovered and have a dull reddish tint. The tail is usually black which makes it easily distinguishable from the common crane with a grey tail.
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Threats to the Bird – Important for Civil Service Examination
Feral frogs pose a serious challenge to the eggs and the young chicks of these birds as the feral frogs usually hunt and feed on them.
Human nature is creating a massive shift in the wetland areas by making new development projects and thus the animal is slowly losing its habitat making it prone to extinction.
The increased grazing near the almost limited wetlands is putting further pressure on the bird’s habitat leading to endangerment.
How to Conserve the Bird?
The Department of Wildlife Protection in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature-India in Jammu and Kashmir is trying to conserve the wetlands in higher altitudes so that the habitat of the black-necked crane is preserved. Also, the World Wide Fund is working in Arunachal Pradesh to conserve the small population left of the winter bird.
The Initiative of World Wide Fund – India
For over a decade now, the WWF-India has been working on a regional level to conserve high altitude wetland species in the Tibetan Plateau. This organization has formed as the route for international cooperation between India, China and Bhutan. Research is being made by a separate team on the breeding rules and conditions of the bird to continue the lineage and prevent it from extinction.
Education and awareness on a daily basis are being provided to the locals, the Indian Army, the Indo-Tibetan border force, the tourists and the operators for the protection of the bird. Institutions have been established and youth volunteers are getting involved in the project for the long term conservation of this bird species.
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Why the Controversy?
The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has renewed a previous hydroelectric power project which intends to acquire more wetlands, thus a protest has been raised by a group of Buddhist monks in Tawang district to protect the well being of the bird as it is nearing extinction.
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Trending UPSC IAS Topics 2021
Amidst all this chaos and reformation the UPSC experts have found new current affairs topics to be considered important for the upcoming UPSC Civil Services Exam.
The important topics are as follows:
- Recovery of the Indian economy.
- The new agriculture laws.
- Details about National Education Policy.
- COVID-19 Vaccine and its Development.
- Zero Carbon Emission.
- 5G technology.
- ICMR and it’s working.
- Drug testing regulation in India.
- Sea links and lines of communication in the Indian ocean.
- One Belt One Road (OBOR) Policy.
- Cyclone Nisarga.
- PPE kit, uses and construction.
- Shifting of Earth’s Geo-Magnetic field and its impact.
- Indo-Nepal & Indo-China Border dispute.
- Virus and Bacteria borne diseases and their differences.
- Outbreak vs Epidemic vs Pandemic.
- CORONA Test Techniques.
- Recent NAM and SCO Summit.
- Recent Dhaula-Vira Discoveries.
- Coronavirus Pandemic.
- China – Wuhan.
- Citizenship Amendment Act.
- Jammu & Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh formation.
- Sir Creek dispute.
- Uttarakhand Summer Capital.
- Environment Summits 2019 2020.
Read about these to stay updated in current affairs and thus have a strong hand in UPSC prelims.
Conclusion
The black-necked crane is now a most probable current affair question in UPSC prelims. Tk,lhus, it is important to have all and full knowledge about the topic. Being confident and knowing about the recent issues can help you bag a preferable spot among the interviewers. Thus, check UPSC Pathshala out for newer must-know topics. A free demo class is available if you want to give it a chance. Click here for a free demo class. All the best for your future endeavours.
Thank you for this article, it was very helpful for UPSC notes, as we all know that animals are being extinct, what is you feeling about it? How should we protect them?