Two eggs laid for the first time by the Sarus crane in 2024 were recorded in Ayeyawady Region, according to the Kyonkapyin-Tatseik Wildlife Conservation Group (KTCG). Thanks to the coordination of the KTCG and eager reporting by the locals, the first record of a flock of Sarus cranes laying two eggs was made on 25 July.
“For the first time, it was recorded in Kyonkapyin-Tatseik, Wakema township, Ayeyawady region. Sarus cranes only lay two eggs a year. When they built a nest, some paddy plants were damaged, and the farmers didn’t like them. So, they destroyed these nests and ate the eggs. The KTCG urged locals not to eat the eggs and reported to us that if they saw a nest, we would support them,” said a KTCG official.
These birds lay one or two eggs at a time, and only once during the rainy season per year, the KTCG said. The Sarus crane is a year-round resident in Myanmar and has been recorded in Kachin State, Shan State, Bago, Ayeyawady, Yangon Regions and Rakhine State. The largest habitat of these cranes is the Ayeyawady Delta, and they are widespread in 14 townships of Ayeyawady Region, the group said.
The KTCG has started yearly data collection on these cranes since 2018 during their nest-making time. There are also threats to them, and according to the collected data review, their population has grown year on year despite threats such as loss of habitats and nest destruction, which pose challenges to their sustainability. Therefore, KTCG also suggested that the cooperative participation of residents is a more effective and successful method for conservation. — MT/ZN/ED
