Black-necked cranes officially not "vulnerable" anymore

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is responsible for the Red List, which indicates the extinction risk of species worldwide. It is a very important instrument in nature conservation.

However, the downlisting of Black-necked cranes last year from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘least concern’ has been controversial discussed. Approximately 10.000 to 12.000 black necked cranes currently live in the world. Threats to the Himalaya crane species have rather increased than declined. Construction of tourism infrastructure and dams as well as melting glaciers due to climate change will propably lead to huge challenges for this species. Therefore, conservationists from India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Pakistan criticize the downlisting as premature.

Crane Conservation Germany, NABU International - Foundation for Nature (NABU International) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN) in Bhutan are currently developing a conservation concept regarding the Black-necked crane (for more information click here) and have been surprised by the new classification as well.