Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) Fact Sheet: Managed Care

• Kept in managed care for hundreds of years but few present in North American zoos until 1980s (Kaldenberg 2003)
• First international studbook published in Japan in 1972 (Swengel 1996)
  • Regional studbooks now maintained in North America, China, Europe and United Kingdom

Breeding in managed care

• Breed readily in managed care (Swengel 1996)
• North American zoo population increased since 1980s, but age structure is not stable: (Kaldenberg 2003)
  • A decline in 1990s meant few juveniles
• In 1997 a breeding and reintroduction station in Russia released 13 red-crowned and white-napped cranes into wild
  • Khingansky Zapovednik marsh in Amur River Basin, Russian Far East (Andronov 2011)
  • Zoo New England provided many fertile eggs to Russia's Khingansky reserve (Zoo New England 2011)
• The San Diego Zoo began breeding red-crowned cranes in 1985 (Rimlinger email 2011) (Mace 1988)
  • Hatched 37 chicks 1985-2011
  • Provides eggs to International Crane Foundation

Breeding of Red-crowned Cranes increased in North American zoos in the 1980s.

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Andronov (2011)
Kaldenberg (2003)
Mace (1988)
Swengel (1996)
Zoo New England (2011)