Black Necked Crane (Grus nigricollis)
- Context (PIB): The Black Necked Crane assessment was recently carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Zoological Survey of India.
- Black-necked crane is a medium-sized crane that is native to Asia and endemic to Tibetan Plateau.
- It is a large, wading bird with long legs and neck. Despite their lack of webbed feet, they are excellent swimmers.
- It is the only exclusively alpine species among the 15 species of cranes in the world.
- This species is found in India, China and Bhutan and breeds in high altitude wetlands in the Tibetan plateau at elevations.
- A small wintering population is also found in Sangti and Zimithang valleys of Arunachal Pradesh.
- Diet: Black-necked cranes are omnivorous, and they enjoy eating plant roots, tubers, snails, shrimp, and other small vertebrates and invertebrates.
- Conservation Status: IUCN: Near Threatened | WPA, 1972: Schedule I | CITES: Appendix I
- The bird is revered by the Monpa Community (major Buddhist ethnic group of Arunachal Pradesh) as an embodiment of the sixth Dalai Lama (Tsangyang Gyatso).
