Satellite tracking reveals a new migration route of black-necked cranes (Grus nigricollis) in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis) is a vulnerable species and the only species that lives in the plateau. Five migration routes of different populations have been identified, but for cranes wintering in Nyingchi Prefecture, Tibet, the migration route and breeding/summering area are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatio-temporal migration patterns of black-necked cranes in this area and to identify important areas for conservation.

Methods

In 2016, we fitted seven black-necked cranes in Nyingchi with GPS-GSM satellite transmitters to record their migration routes. We used ArcGIS 10.2 to visualize important stopover sites and the 'ggplot' function in R to analyze the migration patterns.

Results

From March 2016 to Ma

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7443078 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature