Tagging of Black-necked Cranes in Phobjikha Valley

As part of a project on research and conservation of Black-necked Cranes, a team of German experts from Crane Conservation Germany (CCG) as part of NABU Germany supported RSPN staff in catching and tagging of Black-necked Cranes in Phobjikha Valley.
Through the attachment of GPS UMTS transmitters on three Cranes, the team can collect data on the migratory routes as well as daily behaviour of the Cranes; e.g. how long Cranes are resting during their migration and important roosting sites. Furthermore, the Cranes got colour-coded rings to facilitate identification from a distance.
The team spent 8 days in the field setting up traps in different areas of the valley and were finally able to catch and release 2 cranes. The data received will be invaluable for the protection of the species. Simultaneously a team from UWICER tagged three Cranes in Bumdeling.
Dr. Günter Nowald and Ms. Anne Kettner from Crane Conservation Germany furthermore conducted a workshop on how to process the GPS data and analyse it using computer programs such as Excel and QGIS.
Amongst other, the project aims to improve knowledge on the migratory routes of Black- necked Cranes wintering in Bhutan and identify potential threats during their migration as well as strengthening the trans-boundary cooperation in the conservation of the birds with neighboring countries. The German team will return to Bhutan for a second field trip in
winter 2019/20.