The Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for the Siberian Crane was concluded under CMS auspices in 1993, and was the first such instrument to be considered an agreement under Article IV (4) of the Convention. Originally concentrating on the highly endangered Western and Central Populations of Siberian cranes, which migrate between breeding grounds in Western Siberia and wintering sites in Iran and India, respectively, the scope of the Memorandum was extended in 1998 to cover the larger Eastern Population which winters around Poyang Lake, China, and accounts for over 95% of the species.

The Siberian crane MoU now has nine Signatory States: Azerbaijan, China, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russian Federation (the latest to join), Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It is hoped that the two remaining Range States - Afghanistan and Mongolia - will become members in the not too distant future.

The Fourth Meeting of Siberian Crane Range States was held at the headquarters of the International Crane Foundation (ICF) in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in May 2001. (The three previous meetings took place in Moscow; Bharatpur, India, and Ramsar, Islamic Republic of Iran, between 1995 and 1998.) The 30 delegates in attendance included representatives of eight of the Range States concerned.

Discussions at the meeting focussed on reviewing implementation of the Conservation Plan over the previous two years, updating or elaborating the Conservation Plans for all three populations, and finalising preparations for an associated Siberian Crane/Wetlands GEF project being carried out in Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Iran and China. The full proceedings of the meeting, including the text of the MoU and revised Conservation Plans, are available from the CMS Secretariat.

While the numbers of cranes observed on the known wintering areas in Iran and India remain alarmingly small, there is some reason for optimism in what is not known about the migratory behaviour of these intrepid birds. There is evidence to suggest that there are breeding, stopover and wintering areas yet undiscovered that may hold promise for the future survival of the Siberian crane in the western and central parts of its range.

Enormous commitment and ingenuity has already been poured into efforts to bring about the recovery of these magnificent birds. Coordination of efforts will be further strengthened with the recruitment in 2002 of a dedicated Flyway Officer, funded by CMS and ICF. Ultimately, the continued existence of these populations depends on our ability to develop techniques to release captive birds to bolster the dwindling wild flocks. Here too there are grounds to be hopeful. In 2002, the International Crane Foundation has teamed up with the All-Russian Research Institute for Nature Protection and a world-renowned hang-glider pilot to try to lead a flock of young, captive-bred Siberian cranes along part of their traditional migratory route between Russia and Iran. This bold initiative is an adaptation of a similar programme using ultralight aircraft, which has shown promise for endangered Whooping Cranes in the United States.

It will take several years of hard work to determine whether or not this technique can be adapted to the challenging conditions of Central Asia. In the meanwhile, the other elements of the detailed Conservation Plans are being actively pursued by all the partners involved.