Japan’s Red Crown Cranes Taken Off Endangered List

Japan’s Ministry of the Environment announced the red-crowned crane was down graded from threatened to near-threatened status, after having sufficiently recovered in numbers. This means there is now a low risk of the species becoming extinct. The species was thought to have died out during the Meiji Era (1868-1912), due to overhunting. In 1924, several dozen red-crowned cranes were discovered in the remote areas of Hokkaido in Northern Japan.  In 1952, the red-crowned cranes were designated as a Special Natural Monument of Japan. At that time, only 33 birds were recorded in a wintering habitat survey. Since then, active conservation and feeding initiatives have been carried out by volunteers. In late January 2025, the wintering habitat survey confirmed a population of 1,927 red-crowned cranes, leading to this year’s assessment of a low risk of extinction.  

I was fortunate to see the red-crowned cranes when I lived in Hokkaido a posted about them in summer here, and in winter here.