A global overview of cranes: status, threats and conservation priorities

This paper reviews the population trends and threats for the 15 species of cranes, and comments on conservation priorities for the family as a whole. Cranes occur on ifve continents, with greatest diversity in East Asia (nine species) and Sub-Saharan Africa (six species). Eleven crane species are threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List, including one species Critically En-dangered, three species Endangered, and seven species Vulnerable. Of the four species of Least Con-cern, population sizes for the Demoiselle (Anthropoides virgo) and Brolga (Grus rubicunda) are not well known but these species are declining in some areas. The Sandhill (G. canadensis) and Eurasian Cranes (G. grus) are the most abundant cranes and have rapidly increased in part due to their lfexible selection of foraging habitats and use of agriculture lands and waste grain as a food source. Status for six species-Grey Crowned (Balearica regulorum), Blue (Anthropoides paradise), Black-necked (G. nigricollis), Red-crowned (G. japonensis), Sandhill, and Siberian (G. leucogeranus)-are summarized in more detail to illustrate the diversity of population shifts and threats within the crane family. A crane threat matrix lists the major threats, rates each threat for each species, and scores each threat for the crane family as a whole. Four of the ifve greatest threats are to the ecosystems that cranes depend upon, while only one of the top threats (human disturbance) relates to human action directly impact-ing on cranes. Four major threats are discussed:dams and water diversions, agriculture development, crane trade, and climate change. Conservation efforts should be strongly science-based, reduce direct threats to the birds, safeguard or restore habitat, and strengthen awareness among decision makers and local communities for how to safeguard cranes and wetlands. Especially for the most severely threatened species, signiifcantly stronger efforts will be needed to incorporate our understanding of the needs of cranes and the ecosystems they inhabit into decisions about agriculture, water manage-ment, energy development and other human activities.

Number and distribution of cranes wintering at Poyang Lake,China during 2011-2012

Poyang Lake is a very important wintering place for cranes in China and East Asia.Two crane surveys were conducted at Poyang Lake during the 2011/2012 winter,the first on 18-19 December 2011 and the second on 18-19 February 2012.The survey covered the entire Poyang Lake basin,as well as two main lakes in Jiujiang (Saicheng Hu and Chi Hu),i.e.,a total of 85 sub-lakes were surveyed.Both surveys recorded four species of cranes.The first survey on 18-19 December 2011 recorded 4577 Siberian Cranes (Grus leucogeranus),mostly in Bang Hu,Sha Hu and Dahu Chi,302 Hooded Cranes (G.monacha),885 White-naped Cranes (G.vipio) and 8408 Eurasian Cranes (G.grus),for the most part in the center of the lake basin.The second survey on 18-19 February 2012 recorded 3335 Siberian Cranes (mostly in Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve (PLNR) and its surrounding areas),110 Hooded Cranes (largely in PLNR and its surrounding areas),283 White-naped Cranes (86％ in Bang Hu) and 2205 Eurasian Cranes (particularly in Duchang and Nanjishan NNR).The number of Siberian Cranes enumerated in December was 1000 more than the second count in February 2012.It is not possible to rule out double counting due to the close proximity of the main sites of the Siberian Cranes.During winters from 1998 to 2009,the average of the highest counts each winter was 3091,ranging from 2345 in 1996 to 4004 in 2002.By comparison with counts taken at other times,we therefore estimate a wintering population of Siberian Cranes of ～3800-4000 at Poyang Lake.Additional evidence will be needed to raise the world population estimate.Our more recent surveys indicate a continuing decline in the number of White-naped Cranes and an increase in Eurasian Cranes.

Root Canals and Crowns: An Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Dental Offices in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, 1996-2011

Every city above a certain size has health services that are located, to a large extent, close to their patients. This study analyzes the spatial distribution of dental office and the change in the number of dental offices in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico over a 15-year time period. Research was conducted in 1996 and 2011. Maps showing the location of dental offices for these two years indicate a clustering of dental offices within one and one-half miles of the city’s two principal border-crossing points between the United States and Mexico. Provider-based surveys were also used to determine the mix of patients (US or Mexican citizens) at the dental offices found throughout the city. By 2011, nearly all of the dental offices clustered within one and one-half miles of the two principal US-Mexico border crossings had 100% of their patients from the United States.