The survival of Siberian Cranes depends on the protection of the individual cranes and the conservation of the wetlands where they breed in summer, rest during migration, and spend each winter. The Siberian Cranes’ migration flyway extends over several thousand kilometers taking the cranes across many invisible national borders that did not exist when their ancestors first made this epic journey.
Today, the conservation of these beautiful birds and the wetlands along their flyways depends on the cooperation of the people of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Russia and Uzbekistan, working together to save these special birds.
The most important measures for the conservation of the Siberian Crane and its habitat are outlined in the Conservation Plan developed under Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for the Siberian Crane under Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS).
Under the UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetlands Project, conservation actions are being taken to help assure the long-term survival of Siberian Crane habitats along Eastern Flyway in China and western Flyway in Iran, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
CMS and International Crane Foundation help promote conservation activities in the Siberian Crane Range States of the Western/Central population by strengthening the flyway level coordination and establishing a Western/Central Asian Site Network for the Siberian Crane and Other Waterbirds(WCASN). To the present time, 12 sites were designated as sites of international importance for listed in WCASN.