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The migration route of the Demoiselle crane recently made news over an unexpected turn, setting a new record. Instead of entering India through their usual route via Nepal, these Siberian cranes deviated and passed through Pakistan. Native to the Siberian region of Russia, the Demoiselle cranes journey to India each winter, fleeing the bitter cold of temperatures plunging to minus 40 degrees Celsius. But these elegant birds, the smallest among the crane species, face a growing threat upon their arrival in India: free-ranging dogs.
India’s stray dog population poses challenges, not just to public health but to wildlife as well. A 2019 census estimated the country had 15 million stray dogs, with around 20,000 reported dog bite cases occurring daily that year. However, the impact of these free-ranging dogs extends beyond humans, casting a shadow over India’s fragile wildlife.
Free-ranging dogs have been implicated in the local extinction of the Great Indian Bustard, one of the country’s most endangered bird species. Similarly, their presence has contributed to the Black-necked Crane abandoning its only known breeding grounds in India. Even scavengers like the vultures are not spared. For migratory birds like the Demoiselle crane, such threats compound the risks they face on their arduous journeys, further endangering their survival in an increasingly hostile environment.