Habitat Preference and Current Threats to The Sarus Cranes Grus Antigone (Aves: Gruiformes: Gruidae) In Important Bird Areas of Haryana, India: Implications for Determining Effective Conservation Actions

Abstract

Understanding the habitat preferences of Sarus Crane can assist ecologists in identifying high-priority habitats and improving conservation strategies. The habitat utilization and preference of Sarus Crane were studied in and around Important Bird areas of the Gurugram district from November 2019 to October 2020.  In total, 171 flocks were observed in agricultural land followed by marshland (147) and grassland (11). Our analysis showed that the Sarus Crane strongly preferred agricultural areas (s = +0.18) and avoided grassland habitats (s = -0.22 and -0.53 respectively). There was a significant difference in the utilization of agriculture and marshland (P<0.05) habitats in different seasons. However, the Sarus Crane utilized the grassland habitat randomly (P>0.05). The Sarus Cranes experienced several serious threats, including predation, habitat destruction, and the agricultural use of pesticides. This study on habitat preference and current threats will provide a scientific baseline for future research to better understand the ecology of the Sarus Cranes and will be helpful in their conservation. These IBA’s are the only suitable sites in Haryana because it is surrounded by a large area of agricultural land and exposed to the pressure of human activities. It is, therefore, necessary to protect such habitats, to provide a healthy ecosystem for Sarus Cranes.