A Study on the Population Scenario of Indian Sarus Crane (Grus antigone antigone) in and around Alwara Lake of District Kaushambi (U.P.), India

The Indian Sarus crane, Grus antigone antigone is one of the most graceful, monogamous, non-migratory, and tallest flying bird of the world. Pairing for lifelong and lionize legendry marital fidelity, for which the species has garnered global popularity. This is the only resident breeding crane of the Indian subcontinent that has been declared as ‘State Bird’ by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, a state of the Indian Republic. However, due to the shrinking of wetlands at an alarming speed in the country, the population of this bird has become vulnerable. Present exploration is aimed to study the population of sarus crane in the year 2016 in and around the Alwara Lake of district Kaushambi (Uttar Pradesh) India and their comparison to sarus crane population recorded in 2012 and 2015 in the same study area. This comparison reflects an increasing population scenario of the bird in the area studied. It has been observed that the prevailing ecological conditions of the lake, the crane friendly behaviour of the local residents and awareness efforts of the authors have a positive correlation in the conservation and increasing population trends of this vulnerable bird. This conservation model can, therefore, be applied elsewhere for the conservation of other such species. Moreover, the authors strongly recommend continuous population census of this bird and declaration of the entire Alwara Lake as Sarus Sanctuary to make it safe zone for the conservation of Sarus crane.