» Regional Activites

» Eastern Flyway

» Western Flyway

Western Flyway

The Western population of Siberian Cranes breeds in north-western Siberia in the Ob River Basin and winters in the south Caspian lowlands of Iran. Estimates of total waterfowl numbers using the broader “Western Siberian – Kazakhstan – Caspian Flyway” described by Flint & Krivenko (1990) vary between 27 and 37 million, with the South Caspian lowlands of Iran supporting well over one million wintering waterfowl.

The breeding and staging areas in Western Siberia are recognized for their importance for wetland conservation and are partially covered by a series of Ramsar Sites. The staging areas in Kazakhstan are of considerable conservation importance, as key wetlands in an otherwise arid zone. For instance, Naurzum Nature Reserve has been nominated for listing under the World Heritage Convention for its steppe landscapes and wetlands.

Project activities are establishing a new flyway site network for cranes, linked to the Central Asian Flyway Project. A coordination center has been established in Moscow, which provides links to CMS, the Crane Working Group of Eurasia (CWGE) and Wetlands International flyway conservation efforts. The coordination center is also facilitating the application of approaches and lessons from the North East Asia Crane Site Network (NEACSN) to the Western Flyway.

Home | About SCWP | Regional Activities | National Activities | Contacts | Links | Site Map

Last update: July 13, 2005.

Website developed by CompassMedia