The US, Chinese and Russian scientists research the habitats of white cranes (sterkhs) in Yakutia

55 pairs of Canadian cranes and 41 pairs of white cranes nest in Katylyk Reservation. That's the data of research work done in the framework of the international project ‘Improving the network of water and mash lands being crucial to white cranes and migratory birds in Asia', said Albina Sosina, the spokesman of the Republic Ministry of Nature Protection.

The project is a part of the wildlife conservation program that started under the aegis of United Nations Organization and Global Ecological Fund in Yakutia in 2003 and will finish in 2009.

Recently another international research group arrived in Yakutsk, the capital of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Among visitors there are Miranda Morin, project coordinator & the executive director of International Cranes Fund, and representatives of Chinese and Russian coordinating committees. Their mission is to check the report activity of Yakutian coordinating committee, to sum up the results of the 1 st stage of research work and discuss the second phase.

“The first stage included the diverse fieldwork. There were ground-based research, satellite monitoring, lawmaking, eco tourism, polls, and educational activity,” said Albina Sosina.

While in Yakutsk , the research group has scheduled meetings with regional experts and Vladimir Grigoriev, republic minister of nature protection. Additionally, guests intend to conduct short fieldwork in the central districts of Yakutia.

// 21.08.2006

Resource: Yakutia Sakha News Agency