Hunting pressure on two migratory species, Common Crane (GRUS GRUS) and Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides VIrgo) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan

The present study was carried out at the three districts, i.e., Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Karak of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. The current study was carried out to assess the biological status of two cranes species, the Common Crane (Grus grus) and the Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo), with respect to hunting pressure, chick survival rate and breeding and diseases in captivity. Field surveys, questionnaires and interviews with the local communities were the major tools for data collection. In the fall 2014 and spring of 2015, a total of 93 hunting camps was found to be established in Bannu and Lakki Marwat. These camps were established in Baran dam, Kurram and Kashu in Bannu, while Lunder, Chall and Gambilla River in Lakki Marwat. The study revealed that hunters in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Karak had 2945 Demoiselle and 956 Common captive Cranes, from breeding pairs 1363 and 408 eggs of Demoiselle and Common cranes, from which 910 and 183 eggs were hatched and the chicks of these two species survived were 628 and 129 respectively. The chicks faced problems of development of feathers, leg-breaking and bending due to overweighting and parasitic attacks. The cranes also suffered from various diseases like a head tumor (granules develop on the head), night blindness, influenza, stomach blocking and skin diseases. The information of this study may help to develop strategies to conserve and protect the natural habitats from intensive anthropogenic use and livestock grazing and help to sustain and enhance numbers of this avian species.