Chinese scientists use satellite for the first time to trace
black-necked cranes and have attained valuable monitoring records
of the cranes' migrating route.
Yang Xiaojun, researcher of the Kunming Institute of Zoology of
the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) told Xinhua that signals from
the satellite show that the monitored black-necked crane has been
back to the Dashanbao Black-necked Crane Nature Reserve in
southwest China's Yunnan Province and completed its round migrant
trip, the traces of which have provided China's first monitoring
records of the cranes' migrating route.
According to the signals, black-necked cranes usually fly from
Dashanbao where they survive the winter to Ruo'ergai County,
southwest China's Sichuan Province, about 700 km away from
Dashanbao, to reproduce.
The signals show that black-necked cranes would fly three or
four days to cover the 700-km route during which they would stop at
four counties, but different cranes would stop at different time
and places.
According to a rough analysis, every 95 to 240 km the cranes
would stop flying for a while and would never fly when night
falls.
When black-necked cranes are about to reproduce, they used to
stay in Sichuan's Ruo'ergai County and Gansu's Maqu County in
northwest China, the signals show.
On February 26, 2005, the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the
CAS sent four black-necked cranes wearing satellite emitters,
marking China's first effort using satellite to trace black-necked
cranes.
The world endangered black-necked crane is a rare migrant in
tablelands. Its tall and beautiful figure makes it valuable in
bird-watching and scientific research.
In China, the crane can be seen only in remote areas of
northwest China's Qinghai, southwest China's Yunnan, Sichuan,
Guizhou and Tibet.
(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2005)